Concerned about a government-enforced shutdown, the AFL is attempting to secure fast-turnaround coronavirus tests to safeguard the league against an outbreak that could prematurely postpone the season.

The AFL is preparing to radically adjust upcoming games and the 2020 fixture to complete as many games as possible in a short space of time.

While previous predictions have suggested April and May could be the peak infection period, the AFL’s timeline for a potential government-enforced break focuses on June and July.

That expectation has forced mass changes to contingency plans for the coming months, with league headquarters itself weighing up separating employees into ‘A’ and ‘B’ teams to limit the effect of an outbreak.

A number of proposals have been circulated in a document obtained by 7NEWS on Saturday.

With the primary aim protecting broadcast funds in the wake of lost game-day revenue, 7NEWS understands the key measures include:

Forcing teams to play 4-5 games in a three-week period

Squeezing the fixture to play all 198 home-and-away games either side of an expected break

Shortening games, adding rotations and extending the interchange bench to combat fatigue

Expanded lists with players sourced from a possible mini-draft or more supplemental signings

Informing players they must stay home from university and study online

Promoting good hygiene and social distancing to limit the spread

Round one will begin on Thursday behind closed doors after the league was forced to close the gates, with the Australian government recommending the cancellation of non-essential gatherings of 500 people or more.

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As clubs forecast multimillion-dollar deficits following the loss of ticket sales and related game-day revenue, the AFL is desperate to complete as many matches as possible to secure funds from the billion-dollar broadcast deals with Channel 7 and Fox Sports.

The AFL is understood to be in talks with a company that would provide technology for tests to return quicker results.

It is hoped that with a hard-line stance on isolating players with symptoms and speedier testing, the spread will be limited and the game can go on.

Richmond chief executive Brendon Gale anticipates losses while fans are locked out to hit seven figures per game for some clubs.

The MCG and grounds around the country could host no fans for the majority of the AFL season. Credit: Michael Willson/AFL Photos / via Getty Images

“It’s hard (to predict) an average - it does really depend on club to club. It’s an impossible exercise because we don’t know the impact of this at this stage,” he told SEN on Saturday.

“We don’t know how long we’ll be playing games without crowds. Simple maths, if you look at our game on Thursday night we’d probably expect a crowd of around 90,000.

“A crowd of high 80s, 90,000, would probably return a gate of $1.2 to $1.4 million. That’s one game. You extrapolate that and it’s a big number.”

What the plans mean for clubs and games

Breaks as short as five days could stretch lists thin, however, with fatigue and fatigue-related injuries expected to be a concern for clubs.

With outsized football commitments and health a priority the AFL wants players to focus almost entirely on avoiding infection.

A previously reported mini-draft that could see clubs boost list numbers with recently delisted and state-league players is a possibility but it could face opposition from standalone VFL, SANFL and WAFL teams.

State-league clubs were livid with last year’s mid-season draft, while Hawthorn’s recent addition of Keegan Brooksby via the supplemental selection period left his shorthanded SANFL club South Adelaide fuming.

It is understood the AFL Commission will meet on Saturday to continue discussions about the league’s plans for the season. Club presidents may be present to be kept across the developments and proposals.