The AFLW competition is set to face a quick turnaround at the conclusion of season six, should the new season be moved forward to coincide with the men's finals series.
While the league's administrators are yet to reveal any key dates, reports suggest that clubs have made the assumption the season will begin in late August, with the NAB AFLW Draft held in late May or early June.
The grand final for season six is currently scheduled for April 9, two months before this expected start of the new pre-season.
The decision, while not finalised, is supported by the AFLW who see the earlier start date as an opportunity to increase viewership and give players a break over summer.
"When we went to the AFL Commission in mid-March, we had obviously done pre-work. We had taken it to the AFLW Competition Committee, and the conversation was 'fantastic', from that committee," AFLW boss Nicole Livingstone said to womens.afl.
"They are leaders in our industry who are challenging us to be bold, and understanding the reasons for wanting to change the time. The discussion is then, is it season seven, or season eight? And we want to make sure we continue to raise the value, the viewership and the audience of AFLW. We want to make sure we capitalise on the right window.
"The conversations we've been having with stakeholders, everyone's in support of it, and telling us to push forward. There's obviously some machinations that need to take place, like a CBA and agreeing to some terms and conditions in there, but we've started that work."
The AFLPA and AFL will be required to sign a new Collective Bargaining Agreement before the season kicks off, while the league is allowing players who signed two-year deals during the 2021 trade period to walk should an expansion club show interest.
"Our team here at the AFL is prepping for that. We've already formed a working group across business, because it's big. It's not just putting football players on a field, it's everything to do with a big industry now," Livingstone continued.
"We've got a steering committee sitting above it so we can make decisions fast when we have to. I feel confident in the work we've done in the past 10 days since the Commission met to really put the foot down.
"The industry as a whole has had a really big couple of years, and we need to be respectful that everyone in the community has had a really big couple of years. But what moving a season does, is gives the whole industry – men's and women's – a break come mid-December, all through January.
While there has been a public outcry from within AFLW circles as to when remains to optimum time for season seven to commence, the former Olympian claimed that the players she had polled were on board with the accelerated campaign.
"The players who I've spoken to, the lure of not having to go for a run or watch what you're eating on Christmas Day, to spend time with family and not thinking in a few days I'll be back on the park, is immense and exciting. Whilst there'll be some pain, there's also some big rewards in being able to deliver season seven," Livingstone said in finality.
Collingwood is set to travel to take on Brisbane in the second qualifying final on Saturday afternoon.
The opening bounce of the do or die clash is scheduled for 1:05 pm AEDT at the Gabba.
