FRUSTRATED Richmond coach Damien Hardwick has demanded the AFL ban clubs from talking about their rivals' out-of-contract players until the free agency period opens.
 
He said the constant speculation around players coming out of contract had an impact on football clubs, but Hardwick refused to be drawn into a discussion about the exact nature of the impact.
 
Instead he slammed the current situation that allowed the Brisbane Lions to discuss the prospect of Richmond defender Alex Rance joining their club. Hardwick then cut the media conference short.
 
"Other clubs shouldn't be talking about Eddie Betts, Alex Rance, Patrick Dangerfield [or] Rory Sloane. It's inappropriate as far as I'm concerned," Hardwick said.
 
"From our point of view there is a trade period and a free agency period at the end of the year and this is where all this should be taken care of.
 
"It's just ridiculous we're talking about contracted players. We shouldn't be talking about wanting to have players come to our footy club."

Hardwick said the Tigers weren't surprised other clubs would be interested in Rance but as coach he was happy that the 25-year-old was still playing great football.
 
"Why wouldn't you offer him big money? He's an important player. He's a great player [in] All-Australian form once again this year," Hardwick said.
 
"We're very confident on getting that resolved. We haven't put a timeline on it. He's playing some great footy, that is all we can ask of Alex at this stage."
 
In the USA, the NFL Anti-Tampering has rules designed to protect the employer-employee relationship between player and club. The rules ban meetings and public comment between players and opposition clubs apart from the free agency and trade window.
 
Already in 2015 there has been speculation linking Rance to the Brisbane Lions, Sloane to St Kilda, Dangerfield to Geelong and James Aish to Carlton and Collingwood.
 
AFL.com.au understands club football managers raised with the AFL the prospect of introducing similar rules earlier this year.

CEO Brendon Gale was asked about the prospect of Richmond targeting Geelong's Steven Motlop on Thursday morning and said the club would look at "all players who would add value to our list".
 
He said the Tigers were "very confident" Rance would re-sign at the end of this season and his decision would not be based on money.
 
"Having said that, we've got a very competitive offer to put to Alex that is reflective of his status not just at the club but in the game," Gale told SEN.

Alex Rance in action for the Tigers in round five. Picture: AFL Media