AFL CEO Andrew Dillon is happy with the pre-finals bye, but says the structure of the season will always be considered going forward.

There have been suggestions the bye, held last weekend ahead of the 2025 finals beginning on Thursday night, should be moved to the week prior to the Grand Final so that any player who suffers a concussion in a preliminary final is not automatically ruled out of the biggest game of the year.

But Dillon said he was comfortable with the current bye structure as finalists regroup ahead of a huge September.

“It’s really served the game well. It allows the teams who are in the eight to really set themselves,” he said on Monday.

“I’m comfortable with where it is at the moment.

“We’re always looking at the structure of our season – obviously we’ll look at it.

“But … it does open up the final eight to be a true final eight, so any team who has made it, has the opportunity if things go their way, to make it to the last Saturday in September.”

Another idea is a pre-finals wildcard round and Dillon acknowledged it has some merit.

“It would have added a lot to the season, but we just need to hasten slowly. I’m not ruling it in or out,” he said.

Dillon was speaking at the launch of the AFL finals series, which opens on Thursday night at Adelaide Oval when the Crows host Collingwood.

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There will be plenty of feeling, especially given Adelaide star Izak Rankine was banned for four games after a homophobic slur against a Magpies opponent.

Dillon would not be drawn on whether there will be extra crowd security at the game.

“There will be a lot of passion in the crowd, but we have the best fans in the world,” he said.

Dillon also said Snoop Dogg would do a “great job” as the headline act for the Grand Final entertainment, with the AFL unmoved by the controversy around him.

“What I’m looking forward to over the next four weeks is the most important nine games of the year,” he said.

“Then we’ll get to the last Saturday in September and we’ll have the two best teams there.

“The Grand Final entertainment will add to what will be an amazing spectacle … it will be at a level that we haven’t seen for a long time, he’ll do a great job.”

Hawthorn great Luke Hodge will present the Norm Smith Medal to the player voted best afield in the decider.

West Coast’s 2018 premiership coach Adam Simpson will present the Jock McHale Medal to the winning coach, while Essendon’s Ken Fraser will have the duties with the Ron Barassi Medal for the winning captain.

Retired Richmond star Jack Riewoldt is the premiership cup ambassador.