The AFL will press ahead with plans to set up its own player agent system, despite admitting it will be a conflict of interest.

The AFL wants to establish a separate body to act on behalf of young players before they are drafted and can be approached by accredited agents.

The move is likely to set the league on a collision course with the current player agents.

AFL boss Andrew Demetriou said there would be no issue with the league managing young players and trying to develop the game at the same time, even if there was some conflict.

"Of course it's a conflict but I think people have got to be aware that there are legitimate times where conflicts of interest can occur, as long as they're managed properly, in accordance with good corporate governance," Demetriou said.

"The sorts of things we're looking at is making sure we would set up an independent arm, perhaps even a separate company outside of the AFL that would behave and act in accordance with the player accreditation rules.

"It would be given no more, no less information than the current player agents get.

"As long as you manage those conflicts in accordance with proper corporate governance there's nothing wrong with that."

He said there would be no pressure on young players to join the league's proposed body or to stay with it once they were drafted.

"I think the players have got a choice - they don't have to (sign with the AFL) - no-one's forcing the players," he said.

"At the end of the day the lads will make their own choice."

Demetriou denied the league was trying to infiltrate player agents' domain because it was unhappy with their performance.

"I don't think so, I think there are very reputable player agents out there ... I don't think this is about the current behaviour of player agents at all," he said.

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