IT WOULD seem that a twilight Grand Final is a matter of 'when' not 'if' after the success of the qualifying and preliminary finals this year, and the AFL appears to have the support of a key stakeholder when it decides to make the move.

Melbourne Cricket Club chief executive Stuart Fox believes the MCG could add a new dimension to the flag decider, as witnessed by the Richmond-Geelong and Richmond-Greater Western Sydney finals that both attracted more than 90,000 people and with the atmosphere electric throughout.

"We're here to provide the asset and the service and we will adapt to whatever the AFL ask of us," Fox said in the Grand Final edition of the AFL Record.

"But in saying that, I do believe a twilight Grand Final will present a significant opportunity in terms of 'the show' and what is presented."

Fox stressed the timing of the Grand Final was entirely the AFL's call. The League strongly considered a twilight Grand Final this year before sticking with the 2.30pm opening bounce, but is likely to take the plunge in the next year or two.

Saturday's Grand Final will be the first to be overseen by Fox since he took over at the MCC earlier this year. Before that he was chief executive of Hawthorn for six years. He was part of three Hawks premierships as well as two at Geelong, where he worked before joining the Hawks.

"It will be a totally different experience, I imagine," he said of a day in which his main focus will be on the venue rather than one of the competing teams.

"Rocking up on the day of the game can be quite stressful working for a club, so I'm looking forward to a different level of anxiety and watching the game and experiencing being the ground manager."

"Our focus is on customer service, food and beverage offerings, security and the general experience that people have from the moment they leave home until they get home."

It has been a testing first year for Fox since replacing Stephen Gough. World events have required a beefed-up security presence, big-time soccer matches in the middle of the season presented major logistic issues, while Melbourne's coldest winter for some time challenged the MCG ground staff.

There are 170 full-time staffers at the MCC but the match-day staff, including customer service, catering and security staff will push close to 2500.