MELBOURNE hopes to add a top-up rookie to its list following the suspension of former Bomber Jake Melksham. 

AFL.com.au understands Melbourne has joined Port Adelaide, the Western Bulldogs and St Kilda as the clubs to seek clarification from the AFL about their entitlements in replacing suspended players.

However, it is understood the Demons would prefer to have access to a player based on their rookie list, rather than one on the primary list.

I didn't really want to leave the Dons: Melksham

That way Melbourne would be able to replace its upgraded rookie for Melksham with an additional player to fill out its squad. 

The AFL has already allowed the clubs to upgrade a rookie-listed player for those players who received season-long bans from the Court of Arbitration for Sport for taking the banned substance Thymosin Beta-4 during 2012. 

The League is set to deliver a verdict later this week, with submissions from the affected clubs set to close at 5pm on Tuesday afternoon.

It is believed the Demons are in no rush to bring in a new player in place of Melksham, with the club under the impression the player would be inadequately prepared from a fitness point of view, as well as being behind in understanding the club's game plan.

As reported by AFL.com.au last week, Port has applied to the League for approval to recruit two top-up rookies in place of Angus Monfries and Patrick Ryder.

St Kilda (Jake Carlisle) and the Western Bulldogs (Stewart Crameri) have also requested the same allowance from the League. 

Speaking in Adelaide on Tuesday at the launch of the 2016 NAB Challenge, AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan said all clubs would know the outcome of their requests before the end of the week.

"Andrew Dillon (AFL general counsel) is having a look at that at the moment," McLachlan said.

"[The clubs' submissions are] due 5pm today … he'll consider those, obviously then he'll make his own decision about what's right.

"I imagine it'll be done by the end of this week."