THE AFL revamped its Illicit Dugs Policy last October with tougher punishments for players who transgress.

The biggest change from the previous policy was the naming of players who recorded a second strike, rather than their third.

A strike is issued to any player who possesses, uses or deals an illicit drug, returns a positive sample or refuses to submit a sample to AFL drug testers.

Under the new policy, a player will receive a $5000 fine for a first strike while also undergoing counselling and target testing.

On the second strike a player's name is made public and he serves a four-match suspension. A third strike incurs a 12-match suspension.

When a player is before the courts, the AFL would await the court date and that player's plea before taking action under AFL rules.

The policy is in a transition phase, and a player who was already on one strike under the previous policy will receive a penalty equivalent to one strike under the new policy.

Players who had not incurred a strike for two years or longer when the new IDP was introduced last October were granted a clean slate under the new policy.

Strikes must take place within four years of each other to be considered second, third or subsequent strikes.

First or second strikes do not constitute misconduct under AFL rules.