Collingwood star Dale Thomas says AFL footballers are willing to play hard ball to get what they want from the league's massive new broadcast deal.

The AFL players association wants a fixed 27 per cent of AFL revenue - boosted enormously by the new $1.253 billion five-year deal - locked in for players.

That would cover salary increases, as well as schemes they want introduced, such as providing income streams for players post-career, and better compensation for those forced out by injury.

"We want to be able to deliver a package of benefits and rewards and programs that will serve a player as they come into the game, during their careers, but also for years after they leave the game," AFLPA chief executive Matt Finnis told AAP.

While Finnis is confident agreement will be reached, the bid for a fixed proportion of revenue to go to players has so far been a sticking point.

Thomas said the players would not be backing down.

Asked about the possibility of unprecedented strike action, the Magpies star said: "That would be a drastic measure."

But he did not rule it out.

"The players and the players association have decided that if we have to play hard ball, we will," Thomas told Nova FM radio.

"We won't be bullied around, I think in the past we've been bullied around."

Finnis was confident it would not come to a stand-off.

"There's been all sorts of commentary from time to time," he said of Thomas's comments.

"The playing group as a whole seek a professional and business-like relationship with the AFL.

"We won't always agree and negotiations may be willing, but we are confident we can reach an amicable outcome."

Along with a pay rise, Finnis said the association wanted an income scheme to bridge the gap between the end of players' careers and the age they could access superannuation.

They also want a greater proportional pay increase for rookie-listed players, whose current base salary is $35,400, about half the minimum for a player on the primary list.

"From the moment they walk in the door of a football club, they're not treated any differently from a No.1 draft pick, they have the same responsibilities and we think that should be recognised," Finnis said.

Demetriou dismissed the idea of players getting a fixed proportion of revenue, such as 27 per cent, when announcing the broadcast deal, saying that might even result in players short-changing themselves.

"If that means there's going to be an offer for 30 per cent, we're obviously open to it," Finnis said.

But Demetriou is confident of striking a deal that will please players.

"We will, as historically we've always done, look after our players," he told Sydney's Sky Sports Radio.

"I've got great admiration for what our players and our clubs are doing at the moment.

"They're so professional, what we're seeing on the park at the moment is first-class and they deserve to be beneficiaries."

But he said significant amounts of the rights money also had to be used to nurture the game at its lowest levels, particularly in expansion states NSW and Queensland.

He said school and community football organisations, ovals, facilities and talent identification in those states would be boosted.

"That's where the bulk of the development money will be going, I can assure you," he said.

"And also it actually helps us fund our expansion.

"We're investing $220 million into our expansion and this basically covers that and allows us some spare."

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