GAELIC football chief Nickey Brennan has called for the League to regulate the poaching of young Irish players by AFL clubs.

At least three will train with clubs over the pre-season with more to arrive in the coming weeks; the AFL has given permission for Brian Donnelly to join Adelaide's preparations, while Connor Meredith and Niall McKeever have commenced with Richmond.

"We are an amateur association and we can't stop these lads going," Brennan told Saturday's The Age.

"But we would be concerned that they are out there a hell of a long way from home, they get lonely and a lot of the clubs are ill-equipped to take care of these young lads. If … it doesn't work out they are thrown on the scrapheap."

The training invitations come after player manager Ricky Nixon invited 80 Irish players to try out at a camp he organised in August.

But Brennan said the hopefuls had to tread with caution if they were looking to pursue a professional career in Australia.

"They need to be conscious of what they are letting themselves in for," Brennan said.

"Some clubs look after players, but others don't. They don't get the level of attention they need to make it."

The Gaelic Athletic Association has asked the AFL to consider keeping the number of Irishmen per club to two and to disallow the recruitment of players under 19.

Brennan said some considering the move were still developing in the round-ball game.

"They have a pretty steep mountain to climb to make it in Aussie rules," he said.

"It will mean a number of years of extremely hard work and sacrifice and dedication. The clubs they are going to, will they have the resources and wherewithal to give them the help they will need?"

The Brisbane Lions delisted Colm Begley after 29 games while Carlton retained Setanta O'hAilpin but parted with his younger brother, Aisake.

International rookie Michael Shields left the Blues to return to Ireland after struggling with homesickness.