The AFL is expanding in 2028 and the need to overhaul its fixture is on the agenda.

A quartet of options have been posed by club bosses.

Essendon coaching race is tipped to narrow between 'Essendon people' while a Hawks coach responds to links to Tasmania.

All that and more from media buzz...

How the AFL could look

Competition structures was on the agenda at the AFL chief executives meeting, among other things.

This is what was presented to the football bosses, according to AFL Media.

OPTION ONE
* Home and away season decreased to 22 games
* 18 games and four double-ups
* Gather Round removed, or AFL would buy back home games off clubs to retain each club's structure of 11 home and 11 away games

OPTION TWO
* Home and away season increased to 24 games
* 18 games and six double-ups
* Two neutral rounds (including Gather Round)
 
OPTION THREE
* Home and away season decreased to 20 games and three-week Group Stage structure
* 18 games and two double ups (which would be Gather Round and Rivalry Round)
* Top 16 teams split into four groups of four (bottom three teams form their own group) and play each other once before final 10 is determined

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OPTION FOUR
*Home and away season decreased to 20 games and a three-week 'in-play' tournament
* 18 games and two double up matches (Gather Round and Rivalry Round)
* Carved out three-week block in the middle of the season for a separate tournament
* Four groups of five clubs, with the 20th team a 'State League Stars' concept

A fourth time clock error

It's happened again.

The AFL has conceded human error in Carlton's win over GWS with 37 seconds added to the clock late in the game.

It is the fourth time this season there's been a time issue.

In May, 109 seconds was added to Geelong's clash with Collingwood, while earlier in the season, the Giants and Saints also dealt with an error, losing 29 seconds on the stroke of half time.

Hird or Solomon

Essendon is likely to be hiring an 'Essendon person' for its next senior coach.

James Hird and Dean Solomon are the early frontrunners for the role, and given their strong links to the club, it's hard for anyone to edge them out.

Bombers great Matthew Lloyd said on Footy Classified Andrew Welsh is a leading candidate given the amount of respect the players show him.

Mitchell responds to Tassie links... and declares runsheet 'blunder'

Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell was pressed hard by the panel on the Agenda Setters about the potential of becoming Tasmania's inaugural coach.

Mitchell cheekily revealed the runsheet given by the Channel Seven show was slightly different on his piece of paper, which didn't include questions about the Devils vacancy.

The Hawks coach is keen to remain in the brown and gold, and even led with a joke.

Transcript (part of) between Melbourne and May revealed

The infamous pre-season meeting between former Demon Steven May and a host of key figureheads at the club is unravelling as more information comes to light.

May's partner is suing the club, coach Steven King and footy boss Alan Richardson.

St Kilda didn't want Murphy Reid. Why?

Saints coach Ross Lyon didn't want to draft Murphy Reid two drafts ago. But why?

Reid has dominated in the first 18 months of his AFL career, and is deemed a steal at Pick 17.

St Kilda opted to pick up Tobie Travaglia and Alix Tauru.

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