Melbourne legend Garry Lyon has announced on SEN Breakfast this morning that a wildcard weekend could be implemented in the AFL by next season.
“The wildcard weekend, I think it is coming in,” Lyon told SEN.
“I think the wildcard weekend will be introduced next year.”
The wildcard weekend would see teams who finished between seventh and tenth on the ladder at the end of the season, playoff on the bye weekend for their spot in the finals.
During this wildcard round, the team that finishes seventh on the ladder would play the team that finishes tenth and eight would play ninth. The winners of those matches would then play teams in fifth and sixth place in elimination finals the following week.
“Team 10, they would take that every day of the week if they get an opportunity to knock over team number 7 and get their way in to the finals,” Lyon said.
Lyon says he learnt of this proposed finals shake-up at Wednesday's Fox Footy season launch.
He also reported that the Grand Final being shifted to a twilight time slot is “inevitable” however he is unsure when the transition will happen.
