The AFL has clarified that it has no plans to change its name after football boss Steve Hocking’s comments about potentially calling the men’s competition the AFLM.

Hocking was asked about the possibility of the rebranding to fall in line with the fledgling AFLW women’s league on the ABC’s The Outer Sanctum podcast on the weekend and was receptive.

“I just think that a lot of what we’ve touched on here is just tradition,” Hocking said towards the end of a wide-ranging interview on AFLW issues, which included women’s competition chief Nicole Livingstone.

“There’s a whole range of things that we’re unpacking that have just been the way they’ve been because of 160 years of football.

“I think that’s OK.

“I don’t think we need to necessarily be looking over the fence at one another and saying whether we need to add another initial to something.

“But if in time that’s something that emerges, we are all ears at the AFL.”

However, the league issued a clarification on Tuesday after the widespread reporting of the comments.

“We had a great first round to season four of the AFL Women’s competition,” the statement released via social media said.

“AFLW has built its own powerful identity in the community & we will continue to promote its message & celebrate the league & women’s football.

“There are no plans to change the name of the AFL competition.”