THE AFL has confirmed clubs will be allowed to trade future draft picks during the 2015 exchange period after meeting with club CEOs.

Some clubs had argued that future trading should be introduced at the same time as the new Academy and father-son bidding system, because that system created chances for northern-based clubs with academies to effectively trade into the future.

Last month, Essendon argued its deal involving Paddy Ryder and Port Adelaide during last year's trade period would have been resolved earlier if future draft pick trading was allowed, and many clubs wanted the system freed-up.

The AFL was determined to find a simple system that also safeguarded clubs from 'selling the farm' by trading too far into the future.

On Thursday, AFL general manager of clubs and operations Travis Auld confirmed the trading of future draft picks would be introduced, with the detail expected later on Thursday.

Meanwhile, clubs have thrown their support behind the idea of establishing club-aligned indigenous and multicultural academies around Australia.

Clubs were briefed on the concept at the CEOs meeting in Werribee that concluded on Thursday and approved further work being done on the detail.

Auld, said the proposal was met with "a lot of support and excitement by the clubs".

Under the proposal clubs would have access to certain zones across the country in which to develop indigenous and multicultural prospects.

"Anytime we can find opportunities to identify and develop talent and use our clubs and the power of our clubs to do so, then we need to have a good look at that," Auld said.

Auld also said the controversial Sydney Swans trading ban would remain in place.

He claimed the League's relationship with the Swans was very strong and said the accusations made about AFL Chairman Mike Fitzpatrick by former Swans chairman Richard Colless in News Ltd publications on Wednesday were not mentioned at the CEOs meeting.

Auld said the discussion on the state of the game was robust, with AFL football operations boss Mark Evans briefing clubs on the game's trends. 

He said the game's finances remained a key issue for clubs and equalisation was also an ongoing discussion.

Club CEOs also heard from prominent social commentator Waleed Aly on the subject of diversity, with Auld saying the speaker had given great insight on the the changing face of Australia and the changing face of football and how those two things can come together. 

"I certainly think he left some thoughts with our CEOs that will certainly keep them wondering for a while," Auld said.

AFL statement

The AFL Commission has approved a change to the AFL Player Rules to allow clubs the opportunity to use future draft selections as part of their trading options during the annual NAB AFL Exchange Period each October. The change will come into effect in 2015 for this year’s Exchange Period.
 
AFL Club Chief Executives were today briefed on the rule change at their meeting in Melbourne, after a recommendation from the AFL Executive was approved by the AFL Commission last week.
 
AFL General Counsel Andrew Dillon said the AFL’s Player Movement Advisory Group, comprised of both AFL staff and club football department staff, had initially discussed future trading as part of its discussions around the bidding process for players nominated as Father/Son or Club Academy selections. A number of clubs had argued that those teams with such players up for bidding rights were effectively able to trade the use of future selections by going into deficit under the bidding system, giving them an advantage over other clubs.
 
The Executive had then prepared a paper for club feedback on how future trading may work, and this was circulated to clubs earlier this season.
 
The Commission last week accepted a recommendation to alter its rules on the basis that trading for future picks may assist competitive balance by providing flexibility for Clubs, permitting them to optimise their list decisions, while also considering the risks to the competition now that clubs also had more scope to make poor decisions.
 
Under the model accepted by the Commission, Mr Dillon said:
1.    Clubs would be permitted to trade one year in the future only;
2.    Clubs must make at least two first-round selections in each four-year period or will otherwise face restrictions from trading any further first round draft picks;
3.    Should a club trade its future first round selection, it may not trade any other future selection for that same draft. Alternatively, a club may elect to keep its future first round selection but chose to trade any of its future selections from other rounds.
Mr Dillon said the majority of club feedback supported the model accepted by the Commission.