AFL Commission chairman Mike Fitzpatrick says Monday's sight-seeing trip into the NRL heartland that is western Sydney failed to dampen enthusiasm over the league's bold plans to introduce a second club in the Harbour City by 2012.

Despite the AFL postponing its final decision on Tuesday on whether to grant the GC17 bid a licence for the Gold Coast team to enter the competition in 2011, the chairman insisted the commission's commitment to double its presence in Sydney has not cooled in recent months.

"We had an excellent look around both western Sydney and also at the (Sydney Showground at Homebush) and I'd have to say the commission, I think, came out of that investigation with a much more positive view," Fitzpatrick said.

"And certainly seeing the facilities at Blacktown and the Showground I think gave us an insight that arguably we hadn't had from the reports we'd read, so I thought it was a very worthwhile trip."

Asked if commission members had previously held reservations over the wisdom of a move into the heart of enemy territory prior to Monday's reconnaissance mission, Fitzpatrick explained: "I just think we didn't quite understand exactly what facilities were available and what sort of commitment there was from people in businesses in greater western Sydney."

AFL boss Andrew Demetriou agreed the fact-finding mission was an important step on the path to expansion in the country's most heavily populated city.

"It's one thing to get reports and read but for our board to physically go out into the greater part of Sydney and see facilities and go and see a ground out at Rouse Hill and look at the businesses out there," Demetriou said.

"Then to go to Blacktown and have 135 guests from local government, business and (various) interested parties in what we're doing was fantastic."

"I think the board came away really pleased and excited about what we'd seen."