ETIHAD Stadium will trial kick-to-kick sessions for fans after Sunday matches in April and May.

It's part of a bid to make the ground more family-friendly this season.

The stadium will also drop prices for staples such as pies and hot chips - but only on Sundays.

There has been plenty of heated debate about the Etihad Stadium surface since the Docklands venue opened in 2000, with players saying it has been too hard.

And venue chief executive Paul Sergeant joked the stadium's groundsman was "very thrilled" about letting fans on the field.

Kick-to-kick after games used to be a feature of the AFL, but it's now nearly non-existent.

Sergeant said they were having kick-to-kicks only in April and May.

"We have done a lot of work and given a lot of thought about kick-to-kick," he said.

"That's why we're saying we'll look at (it) in April and May rather than before we get into the heavier winter months, when grass just naturally stops growing.

"We're very confident it's not going to affect the surface."

A key feature of the stadium's revised food prices is pies being $3 on Sundays.

Children will also have free popcorn and fairy floss at half-time during Sunday matches.

When asked about price changes at Friday or Saturday AFL games, Sergeant replied: "we have an emphasis on a number of items on a Sunday."

The MCG announced in March a range of price cuts for food and drinks at AFL matches.

"It hasn't been a kneejerk reaction by any stretch, no," Sergeant said of the Etihad Stadium price cuts.

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan praised Etihad Stadium for the price cuts.

"Today I think you see this stadium respond incredibly positively to the feedback from our supporters, from the AFL and from others about what actually makes the right environment," he said.