WITH GOLD Coast and western Sydney set to join the AFL and future trading on the agenda, clubs will need to expand their recruiting resources.

That's the advice of Melbourne list manager Tim Harrington, who believes his counterparts will need to know even more about the country's best young talent.

"What will happen now is that with two new teams coming in, they (recruiters) have to be even more in tune, potentially, with the under-16s coming through in the next couple of years as well," Harrington told melbournefc.com.au.

"You're not going to get the access to the great picks that are going to be given to Gold Coast and west Sydney."

Harrington, who joined the Demons in his newly-created role earlier this year, said the prospect of future trading would also force clubs to focus closely on the under-16 talent.

Future trading was raised by Hawthorn player personnel and strategy manager Chris Pelchen in his submission to the League and club football managers last month.

"If the mooted changes to trading of future picks comes to fruition then if Melbourne, for example, this time next year says: 'We will trade and we will give this year's second-round pick and next year's second pick', then you've got to know what future pick you're trading away," he said.

"If you're going to trade out a pick that's not going to be used for two years, well, you want to be sure that you're not going to be trading out of a potential super draft or a particular position in a draft.

"So that's where the list manager is going to be much more attuned to what's coming up in the future and the recruiting staff are going to be part of that, but that's all new ground in the AFL."

Harrington, a long-time football administrator at North Melbourne until the end of last season, said the position of list manager continued to evolve.

"Most clubs have added that type of position. It was new when I was at North Melbourne and it's new at Melbourne, so you cater for the particular needs of the club" he said.

"Contracting is your very main responsibility and accountability, but then you try and bring together the recruiting department and the football department.

"So [there must be] good understanding, communication and cooperation between those two."