Giants captain Stephen Coniglio believes the shorter season that's been forced upon the AFL amid the coronavirus crisis could shed light on the potential for it to be a permanent change for the game in the future.
The AFL confirmed on Monday the regular season would be reduced to 17 rounds, meaning each club will face each other just once before finals. Meanwhile, quarter-length times have also since been slashed to 16.5 minutes plus time on.
The big changes come as the League considers the possibility of having teams play more than one game a week to ensure it is more adaptable to the threat that COVID-19 could pose on the competition down the track.
A shortened season has been flagged by players, past and present, many a time before.
MORE: AFL CEO reveals League's drastic response to a positive COVD-19 test
And Coniglio has urged the AFL to approach this season as a road test to potentially explore the 17-round concept as a permanent change.
"As players, we have to be adaptable. When you look at codes across the world, whether it be soccer in particular, where they play on a Saturday or Sunday and they're bouncing back on a Wednesday," the GWS captain said ahead of the club's season opener against Geelong.
"We've seen Collingwood and Essendon be able to do that with the ANZAC Day game whenever that falls every year.
"When there are people in the crowds and it's back to a normal season, we might roll with that and that [shortened season] in particular could be one of those."
The Western Australian further suggested the 16.5 minute quarters will provoke more exciting games through the year.
"As the season's hit the middle mark or the winter months, shorter games and just more intensity generally is better for viewing and players love it as well," he said.
"You love those nail biters that seem to go forever in a quarter but if you take four or five minutes off a quarter I believe you get the same result.
"Although there might be some different changes going into this year, I firmly believe there could be one or two things that we take forward and go 'you know what that was actually not a bad idea'."
MORE: Empty MCG has fans questioning AFL's decision to play on
Coniglio highlights that "this year more than ever" teams' resilience will be tested given the uncertainty surrounding the season.
And he is adamant the testing situation will see a galvanised Giants outfit rise to the top.
"With our group in particular when adversity hits or circumstances like this which we haven't had before [present themselves] we've got a really good record of showing up and putting our stamp forward early," the 131-gamer said.
"For us, whatever it is, if it's 17 or 22 [games this season], or we have a month off or two weeks off, we know we're resilient and we know what we expect of each other."
Having been handed the captaincy from Phil Davis and Callan Ward over the off-season, Coniglio will lead GWS out onto Giants Stadium for the first time on Saturday night in their season opener against Geelong.
