Clarkson makes feelings known on in-season tournament
The in-season tournament is being strongly considered by league heavyweights to add more intrigue to what could otherwise be considered a lacklustre part of the campaign.
As it stands, only nine of the 18 teams are legitimately in the race for a top-eight finals berth.
Sydney, who sit in 10th spot with a 7-9 record, are three wins and percentage adrift of eighth position and would likely need to win their remaining seven games to reach the finals.
If an in-season tournament is introduced, it would likely come following the arrival of Tasmania in 2028.
The home-and-away campaign would be cut to just one match-up between each team (19 games per club), alongside a potential rivalry round and Gather Round.
The in-season tournament would then make up the numbers to ensure the current length of the campaign isn't reduced.
Games in the in-season tournament would count as normal in the race for the top eight.
The concept has received mixed reaction and Clarkson thinks there are more important things to fix first.
"It's probably a topic just because there's commentary around, 'is the eight or nine set already' and last week's games, top nine versus the bottom nine," Clarkson said on Thursday.
"It's easy commentary to have, but it's just probably a moment in time thing.
"I think we've probably got to get the overall equality of the draw focused on more so than the mid-season tournament.
"If we ever get to 20 teams, we've got a whole heap of flexibility of what we can do.
"You can make it four divisions of five or two conferences of 10. You can do a lot of really special things with the game.
"In the meantime, while it's 18 and then in a couple of years time 19 - pretty awkward numbers."
Trying to reduce the extensive travel loads of WA-based clubs West Coast and Fremantle have become a bigger talking point this year.
North Melbourne's deal to sell two games a season to WA over the next three years has given the Eagles and Dockers an extra game in their home state, but both clubs want further concessions to even up the travel load.
The Kangaroos (4-11-1) will be back in action on Sunday when they take on fellow strugglers Melbourne (5-11) at the MCG.
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