Acting AFLPA CEO Ian Prendergast said he believed the game wasn't ready to adopt the NRL's model where players can announce a move to a rival club mid-season.
But, in the wake of Geelong coach Chris Scott's suggestion to scrap free agency all together, Prendergast said free agents should be able to confidentially confirm their intention to join a new club during the year.
"These athletes are people first and athletes second, so they're always going to be professional in terms of continuing to fulfil their obligations to their current club," Prendergast told SEN on Wednesday morning.
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"But, based on the way the rules are structured currently, they can't enter an agreement until the end of the season, which makes it difficult particularly if a player does want to leave and exercise his rights through free agency that he doesn't have that security.
"We're having a look at whether a club can actually provide a player with an irrevocable offer so that security is there, or a confidential agreement may be able to be reached.
"There's some discussion taking place around that in the context of reviewing everything around free agency and we've agreed to have a look at it after the next [trade] period is done and dusted."
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On Tuesday, Scott said the AFL should abolish free agency in order to support the equalisation of the competition.
His comments came after he was asked at a media conference if he had spoken to Melbourne free agent James Frawley.
Prendergast said there needed to be an understanding of how limited player movement remained in the game.
He also said the union wanted the time for players to reach restricted free agency status to be reduced from eight years to six.
"The model that's been introduced is quite conservative, it's really about balance and the players towards the back of their career having that fundamental choice as to who employs them, which a lot of us take for granted," he said.
"I guess we were disappointed [by Scott's comments] but I understand there were some concerns raised particularly by clubs and coaches in relation to the current model.
"[Eight years] is a long time to spend at a club and it's natural that a player in the twilight of their career is going to show a desire to get to an established club for success.
"I think with the equalisation methods that have been introduced by the AFL over the next two years, which are designed for all clubs to be able to spend 100 per cent of their cap, free agency can actually have a positive impact for the competitive balance point of view."
Twitter: @AFL_JenPhelan
