Australian Football League Scraps Idea Of Extending '14 Season From 18 To 24 Games

The Australian Football League has virtually ruled out extending the '14 season to 24 games, with league CEO Andrew Demetriou admitting that "the lack of hope of reaching finals for close to one third of the clubs in the competition would prove one key negative to a longer season," according to Caroline Wilson of THE AGE. That sentiment was echoed by AFL Players Association CEO Matt Finnis, who said that "the worrying unequal nature of the competition would only be 'exacerbated by a longer season.'" The AFL on Thursday "will briefly outline a number of 2014 fixture alternatives at a meeting of all 18 club chiefs," with the league reportedly committed to two byes for its players next year and the prospect of a NAB Cup preseason grand final increasingly unlikely (THE AGE, 5/15).