AN AGREEMENT on a collective bargaining agreement with players may not be reached until next year, AFL Players' Association board member Jimmy Bartel says.

Bartel, who retired at the end of the 2016 season, is still on the board but will step down to make way for a current player.

"There will still be a little time to go. Both the AFL and the PA have had a number of things on their agenda as well," Bartel told SEN on Thursday morning.

"Maybe over the summer, maybe even after Christmas, I think we might get a deal done."

Clubs were forced to make trades despite not knowing what the salary cap would be next season.

"At this stage, both sides have strongly put their positions out there on the table and now are circling each other," he said.