The AFL will spend $300,000 on its audit of player payments this year as the league brings in harsh new penalties for salary cap breaches.

The cost was revealed in the league's annual report after the audit was announced on Tuesday.

The AFL also signalled earlier this week that it would consider stripping premiership points from clubs for future breaches.

The Canterbury Bulldogs were headed for the National Rugby League minor premiership last season when they were found guilty of salary cap breaches and docked 37 points to finish bottom.

"It may be that a monetary sanction on a club that's got $10 million in the bank may not be a deterrent," said AFL operations manager Andrew Demetriou.

"It may be that the club that lost its draft picks lost picks 16 and 32 - so maybe added to that, to be severe, the commission might feel that it's appropriate that it starts (the following season) with minus 20 (premiership) points."

The AFL outlined the new penalties to clubs and Demetriou was confident the league had public support.

He said the public reaction was clear after Carlton received hard punishment last year for making illegal payments to players.

"I certainly noticed it after the Carlton affair - I was really, really interested in how many, many people found the breaching of the rules abhorrent," he said.

"They found that whole process distasteful.

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