AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan has put the onus on underperforming clubs to get "the right people in the right slots", saying equalisation is working.
He also gave an indication as to what compensation Gold Coast may receive for restricted free agent and former co-captain Tom Lynch – who has told the club he wants to leave – suggesting pick three in November's draft may be on the table.
The Suns are already in line to receive pick two in the draft after finishing 17th.
Asked on Fox Footy's On the Couch if equalisation no longer worked, McLachlan said he "disagreed".
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"I've been in the role for five years. When we – the team of people I work with – came in, at that time, four or five clubs could win the flag. Geelong, Sydney, Hawthorn and maybe a team from Western Australia," McLachlan said.
"Now, we've strengthened financial equalisation, we went in the first year to every club having the same salary cap, we've implemented a soft cap on non-player footy department spending, and since then, we've had a whole series of teams able to compete."
McLachlan said there's just three clubs – Gold Coast (four wins), Carlton (two) and St Kilda (four and a draw) – struggling, and he has "great confidence" in them all rebuilding.
"Three years ago, you would have said Brisbane were in dire straits. Everyone feels confident about the way they're going. They are broadcast in primetime slots, they've retained all of their young list, so it's about the environment and the people. Equalisation, the measures work, but it's down to people making the right decisions.
"The system, it's a relativity contest. You're competing against 17 other teams. It's reasonably simple, it's the right people in the right slots. The system does protect you, it starts clearly with the president, the CEO, the coach, head of football, head of commercial, head of list management, you need a good captain, all of those people working in concert.
"When you then use the system, make those percentage decisions and make the calls on people, you can succeed. Melbourne's the best example of that."
McLachlan backed Gold Coast CEO Mark Evans and chairman Tony Cochrane to rejuvenate the club, after the team finished 17th with just four wins and a percentage of 59.9 this year.
"Right now, Gold Coast are going through a tough period. I've got great confidence in the leadership of Tony Cochrane and Mark Evans, and [Evans] has brought his team in," McLachlan said.
"What Mark needs is time and the system. If Lynch goes under free agency, they'll get pick three.
"If you don't have the right environment, players will go if it's free agency or when they're out of contract.
"[Evans] is a year in with his team, you need to give him more time. I'm not going to be prescriptive about that, but he's someone I've got great confidence in, he's put his team in, and he needs time. I've got great confidence in the system. If there's an issue with the system, is it could be faster, and I've said that publicly."
