AFL’s Swann fights for Round 0, forecasts changes to season structure for Tassie

AFL executive general manager of football performance Greg Swann said he is hoping to know how upcoming seasons will be shaped by the addition of Tasmania later this year.

Speaking on ABC Sport, Swann said that while there won't be major changes to the length of the season due to existing broadcast deals, he understands that the 2028 season will look different with the expected entry of the Devils.

"The existing broadcast deal goes until 2032, so (the season) won't change a lot," he said.

"It will obviously change with Tassie because there are going to be 19 teams. That's a couple of years away in 2028, but the planning for that and what the season looks like is sort of starting to ramp up now. Our broadcast team looks at all that. 

"They will talk to the broadcasters about how it is going to look, and we will hopefully get something there later this year about what that might look like."

When questioned on whether the controversial Opening Round will continue for seasons ahead, Swann said there were a number of reasons that the AFL keeps the seemingly unpopular round going.

"I don't do the draw per se, but I know that Optus (Stadium) and Adelaide Oval were not available because there are Matildas games on there, so that would have been a factor if you did want to go down that path (of playing games in WA and SA)," he said.

"The upside (of Round 0), that game on Thursday night in Sydney was the first time they have got over 40,000 for the first game, there was over three million people that watched it and all the social media and everything was huge.

"It does give a fill up to the clubs up north to have that focus, but yeah, whether you could still have the focus and still play here, obviously, we have a Melbourne game on tomorrow night, which will be 85,000-90,000 people for the Saints and the Pies."

In 2027, the 150th Anniversary Test cricket match between Australia and England will be held at the MCG from March 11-15.

Swann said this will likely require even more fluidity to start the AFL season.