AFL Membership is a much shorter wait. 10-15 years is the current estimate to become a Gold Member.What if you came to Australia when you were 25? Have to wait to 60 to purchase your MCC membership.
You can become a Silver member straight away, some years that's enough to get you a GF ticket, especially if there's an interstate or less popular Victorian side playing. Last year was the first in 6 years where no AFL Silver members got a GF ticket.
Most clubs also have GF guarantee membership option. I remember Bulldogs fans on here buying the GF upgrade during the 2016 season when they were looking good. I also remember Freo had a GF guarantee option for just $10 before their 2013 appearance - pay just $10 extra on your membership each year and you'll be at the GF if they make it! It obviously sold out pretty quick once they came good and they jacked the price up to something like $50 after 2013. Half way through 2008 my club rang me and asked if I wanted to upgrade to a GF guarantee membership, I already had a pretty good chance at a GF ticket with my Hawks silver membership (as it turned out 100% of Hawks silver got a GF ticket) but the upgrade to gold was something like $50 so I took it. It obviously sold out later in 2008 and remained sold out during our flag era. However it was once again available early this year after people dropped off during our crappy 2017. Lions/Swans/Suns/Giants pretty much all members who want a GF ticket would get one. The Swans actually had trouble off loading their allocation in their ballot and had to do a secondary ballot to get rid of them all - every member who wanted one got one. The Eagles have a Victorian platinum membership with a GF guarantee which I believe was available for purchase during this year.
So the bottom line is, it's not really that hard to get the right membership. If you wait until September when your team is in the 8 then you have left it too late, you need to plan ahead a little bit.