The AFL Commission has approved changes to the Player Rules designed to help clubs develop talent during the expansion period.

Gold Coast are set to join the AFL next year with western Sydney outfit Team GWS to make their debut in 2012.

While Team GWS (Israel Folau) and Gold Coast (Karmichael Hunt) have already recruited high-profile athletes from the National Rugby League, it's believed the AFL's new rules are designed in part to encourage clubs to look to the United States.

Adelaide Crows forward Kurt Tippett, a 201cm Queenslander, is an example of a player with a basketball background who has become a success at AFL level.

And clubs will now be encouraged to send recruiting agents to the American colleges where dozens of talented big men dream of NBA careers and narrowly fail to make the grade.

AFL General Manager Football Operations Adrian Anderson announced in a statement on Friday that the AFL Player Movement Working Party had approved changes for the 2010-11 off-season.

Under the Alternative Talent Rule, a person must have played in a recognised elite sporting competition but not been registered or played in an Australian Rules Football competition for at least three years.

"Clubs may offer one spot under this rule and a signing would be in place of an additional scholarship or Sydney/Brisbane zone rookie, to ensure list sizes remain at 49 players," the AFL said.

"Player payments would be outside the salary cap, if he does not play senior football, with a pro-rata payment inside the cap for any senior matches."

A player will be allowed to stay on the Alternative Talent list for three years, before going onto the Primary List.

"It is extremely important that we continue to provide the best opportunities for players to enter our competition and for clubs to be able to develop talent during this expansion period, with Gold Coast and Team GWS having a major impact on early selections in the next two National Drafts," Anderson said.

The rule changes come amid tension this week over the expansion clubs and their recruiting tactics. Adelaide dropped Gold Coast-bound defender Nathan Bock for the last two games of the year.

Clubs will have the option to leave one rookie position open after the rookie draft which can now be filled after the pre-season cup Grand Final and prior to the start of the premiership season.

Clubs can have up to three trialling players as part of a training squad at any time during the summer as to be able to assess state league players, before making a decision on the eve of the season, the AFL said.

There will also be a removal of the age requirement for rookie eligibility.

Clubs will be allowed to include international players and three-year, non-registered players to the three additional rookie spots rather than the main rookie list.

The definition of an international scholarship player has been expanded to allow the inclusion of athletes who were born overseas but resident in Australia for no more than three years to be placed on the International Scholarship List, the AFL said.

Clubs will also be allowed to apply for a special ruling that a player can return directly to a club's list after a one-season absence.

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