The AFL's proposed mid-season player exchange period is being considered under a number of different structures by AFL football operations manager Steve Hocking.
Hocking announced on Tuesday that he can see the league introducing the new trade period structure in 2019, however the nature of the idea is still a work in progress.
"I'm fairly confident it will happen next year, it's just what form [it takes]," Hocking told afl.com.au.
Hocking alluded to one of his desired ideas for the trade concept, saying that the AFL could introduce a trade window that opened in January and ran until June.
"It could be, as an example, from January right through until June. That's one of the options, there are many options – it could be four days," Hocking explained.
"We've got to get away from the mindset that a decision is made and it's done. The game changes and so it's a work in progress and it's something you continue to re-evaluate, consider and develop."
"When is the best time for it? What does it look like? It's not a case of just making one decision in isolation. There are a range of things we need to consider.
The new trade period concept will be a major piece on the Competition Committee's agenda at their first meeting on May 10.
