The AFL have announced Robin Bishop as the new commissioner of the league, following Mike Fitzpatrick's retirement from the role last month.

Bishop was the head of Macquarie Capital for Australia and New Zealand since 2011, before retiring last year.

The 45-year-old is a passionate Essendon supporter, and spent the past 22 years at Macquarie after joining the company as a graduate.

Last year, Bishop was ranked as Australia's top investment banker in the AFR Magazine's Power List.

The AFL also touched on the AFL Women's competition, after recent news suggested expansion clubs were going to enter the league after a very successful opening season.

AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan said expansion ahead of the second season hadn't been decided yet, and said a number of issues were still being looked into before making a call on adding new teams in.

"We will make a decision in the next couple of weeks. Questions around talent and alignment. AFL Commission is committed to expanding AFLW, but yet to decide on whether it happens in 2018," McLachlan said.

"Cost was discussed briefly. It has been a huge success and we have a lot of learnings out of it, we're pretty proud of what we have done. There will be a number (of clubs interested in expansion).

"I cant speak for the Swans or where they are at, but the depth in NSW is probably the least of any state and that will impact a decision, that will affect the Swans in the short term. 18 Clubs is the aspiration, whether that is a 10 or 20 year journey I don't know.

"It will take time to get there but I don't think any one would have contemplated a few years ago that we would be talking about going from 8-10 or 8-12."