West Coast has been left bewildered and angry by an AFL ruling which has denied unlucky forward Brad Smith the chance to play at the top level.

The 27-year-old Smith has been on West Coast's list for two years, but has not played a game for the AFL premiers because of successive knee reconstructions.

The Eagles had hoped the AFL would allow them to place Smith on the mature-aged rookie list, as it had done for Essendon midfielder Adam Ramanauskas, who is recovering from cancer.

But the Eagles have been informed Smith's bad luck does not constitute an exceptional circumstance, leaving the club puzzled, and the player upset and disillusioned.

West Coast football manager Steve Woodhouse said the decision by the AFL was particularly disappointing as the bid to give Smith a chance had been backed by the other 15 AFL clubs.

"We are extremely disappointed and very surprised. I spoke to Brad at length last night and he is very upset and disillusioned," Woodhouse said.

"If all the other coaches support it, the other clubs support, the AFL Players' Association supports it then I can't see what the problem is."

West Coast originally drafted Smith in 2004, after he plundered more than 100 goals for WAFL club Subiaco.

But knee injuries in successive summers have prevented him playing a single AFL game, restricting him to rehab and an off-field promotional role with West Coast.

The AFL commission originally rejected the Eagles' application to allow Smith to be included on the mature-aged rookie list, introduced to give a chance to players over the age of 23 who have never been part of an AFL squad.

But the Eagles argued the rule stating mature-age rookies must not have spent any time on either a senior or rookie list was too restrictive, and were so confident the AFL would agree they did not take Smith in the national draft last month.

Despite Ramanauskas being allowed to continue his career at the Bombers, the AFL have said Smith's injuries do not constitute unique circumstances, effectively ending his top-flight career.

Quoted in the Age newspaper, AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said changing the rules so soon after they had been drafted was not good practice.

"Brad Smith is a very unlucky footballer but I don't see that we should be changing a rule two weeks after we've already changed it just to suit the circumstances of two clubs," Demetriou said.

"It was only three weeks ago that we debated and discussed and approved each club having one player over 23 being allowed onto the rookie lists.

"I don't think it's a good practice to bring in another rule change two or three weeks after the last one."

Woodhouse said Smith was now considering his future in football, with the player still allied to Subiaco, and the club would also consider extending Smith's promotional role at the Eagles.