The AFL have put the concept of free agency on the backburner while they assess whether some tinkering with the system will make it easier for players to switch clubs.

The AFL Players' Association (AFLPA) has made a concerted push for a limited form of free agency to be introduced.

AFLPA chief executive Brendon Gale warned recently that if the concept was not introduced soon aggrieved players or their agents might take the AFL to court.

But the league has ruled out introducing the concept in time for this year's post-season and refused to guarantee it would ever be brought in.

Announcing a raft of more minor changes, the AFL said they had given a commitment to continue negotiations with the association, "with a view to reaching an agreement" by the end of this year.

But league football operations manager Adrian Anderson said that did not necessarily mean it would eventually introduce the concept.

"There is no commitment that free agency will be introduced," Anderson told reporters.

"What we have committed to do is explore the notion of free agency further, but to look at the effect of the changes we've introduced for this year's draft first."

Gale said the AFLPA were committed to continuing their push.

"AFL players are serious about the issue of free agency, the direction from our members is very clear and very strong," Gale said in a statement.

"As such we will continue our discussions with the AFL to achieve a form of free agency for AFL players."

While Anderson said the league feared that free agency could undermine the evenness of the competition, Gale disagreed.

"The AFLPA respects the importance of having rules within the AFL which promote an even competition," Gale said.

"We consider that the responsible introduction of free agency rights for AFL players will promote competitive balance."

The new rules introduced for this year's draft onwards are:

* A player who is not contracted on or before October 31 will now be eligible to nominate for that year's national draft.

* Players who have not yet made their AFL debut, but may previously have been on a senior or rookie list, will now be eligible to be listed as mature-age rookies.

* The removal of the rules restricting clubs to a maximum of five players traded out in a single year and the maximum of three players involved in a single player-trade.

In addition, from 2009 onwards, the eligibility age for the national draft will increase by four months, so that the player must turn 18 on or before December 31 in the year of that draft.

Anderson said the change allowing players to nominate for the November national draft if they were not contracted by October 31 was expected to significantly increase freedom for players to switch clubs.

Previously, uncontracted players had to wait until the later, and smaller, pre-season draft.

"At the pre-season draft there are less picks available to be exercised, a number of clubs do not participate in the pre-season draft and there are salary cap restrictions that apply," Anderson said.

"The result of (the change) will mean that players can now ... nominate for the national draft, where there is significantly more opportunity for them to be taken."

The AFL wanted to view the effects of that change, before considering whether free agency was warranted.

Fears have been expressed previously that such a move would make the pre-season draft redundant, but Anderson said it would be retained at least for this year.

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