Hawthorn's Head of Football Graham Wright is confident the AFL will allow clubs to organise 'scratch matches' for those not picked in the senior 22, as a way to keep players fit with no state league action on the cards.
Speaking to SEN Radio on Thursday, Wright said "it makes a lot of sense" to allow clubs the freedom to keep players fit if not selected in the seniors, and that he expects a decision to be made in the coming week.
"I've just gotten off a meeting with the AFL now where that has just started to be discussed and I think we'll get some more information around that next week," Wright said.
"I would've thought with all the testing protocols -- and everything we're going through with general living protocols -- that actually being able to play another team makes sense.
"Hopefully we can get our players who are not selected into some games at least initially when most of the list will be relatively healthy.
"I think that makes a lot of sense and it looks like we'll be able to do that and I suppose for right now most clubs are relatively healthy so we should be able to get some games out whether they be curtain raisers or venues organised by the AFL."
Wright said considering there was going to be no state league football played in the forseeable future, the rules and regulations of any scratch matches would likely be decided by the clubs themselves.
"I think it'll be up to the clubs to decide. From what my understanding is, they haven't finalised the details yet, but it'll be up to the clubs who are playing each other to make those decisions," Wright told SEN Radio.
"Whether you want to play 18-a-side or 16-a-side or 20-minute quarters or 15-minute quarters, I think it'll be up to those clubs to make that decision on what best suits them as to the availability of their players."
The AFL season resumes on June 11.