While the Blues are set to post a financial loss after a disappointing 2014, the club has also managed to clear the debt it has owed the AFL since 2003 when it was on its knees and received a $1.5 million loan.

New Blues president Mark LoGiudice told Fairfax Media on Wednesday that a significant change of fixturing for the club was imminent and would likely boost club membership and attendances.

In recent conversations with the league's new boss, Gillon McLachlan, LoGiudice has also formally requested that the Blues play Richmond in the 2015 AFL season-opener at the MCG.

Carlton and Richmond were denied that premium fixture this year due to the unavailability of the ground, which was committed to hosting cricket at the time.

"We would like next year and beyond that – so every year – Carlton and Richmond to play the opening game of the season," LoGiudice said as the Blues prepared to face Fremantle in Perth on Thursday night.

Asked why Carlton and Richmond should have a mortgage on the first game, or at the very least the first AFL game in Melbourne for the new season, LoGiudice said: "Prior to this year we've had more than 80,000 at the MCG for opening games. So it has been a successful game for both Carlton and Richmond, and for the AFL.

"I think if you start any year with a big crowd at the MCG it creates a buzz and it sets the tone for the rest of the season."

Richmond president Peggy O'Neal said on Wednesday that the Tigers would "strongly support" the request to play Carlton in a season-opener next year.

While clubs are yet to submit their full list of 2015 fixture requests to the AFL, the Blues believe a move away from Etihad will go down well with their fans.

Carlton’s board decided earlier this year that it would push to play as many as eight of its 11 home games at the MCG following the expiry of a controversial 10-year deal that was struck in 2004.

Ian Collins was Carlton president at the time and also Etihad Stadium’s CEO. He recused himself from Carlton’s deliberations about the contract but ultimately the agreement saw the Blues commit to at least six home games at Etihad annually.

‘‘I am confident that we will play more games at the MCG than at Etihad next year,’’ LoGiudice said.

‘‘It’s not one hundred per cent complete, but I think you can say I’m confident. This has been a pretty long discussion and negotiation.’’

Etihad Stadium spokesman Bill Lane would only say on Wednesday night that the venue was ‘‘still in discussions with Carlton’’ over the arrangement.

In his ‘‘very positive’’ discussions with McLachlan, LoGiudice said he had also made it clear that the Blues considered Sunday night footy a flop. Carlton played in three of the six games the AFL trialled in the time slot this year.

The highest attendance was 62,730 for its clash with Essendon, but its round 15 clash against Collingwood with a 7.10pm start time was a disaster, drawing just 40,939 to the MCG.

This was the lowest crowd to watch the two sides since the 1921 semi-final.

It prompted Magpies president Eddie McGuire to call for ‘‘six figure’’ compensation from the AFL for what he described as ‘‘one of the greatest examples of vandalising a key event that I’ve seen in years’’.

Carlton expects its part in the Sunday night experiment will cost the club somewhere within the realms of $250,000 this season.

The Blues have failed to reach the membership target of 50,000 they set for this season, and are notably down – by around 1800 – on family membership sales.

‘‘Financially we do not want to play Sunday night games. I think the AFL had to test it, they had to trial it, but it hasn’t been successful for Carlton,’’ LoGiudice said.