THE AFL has banned Essendon players - apart from the club's 2012 list - from taking part in so-called 'competitive training drills' against VFL club Williamstown on Friday.

There had been speculation the Bombers were planning an unofficial practice match against the Seagulls, fielding their planned team for the opening round of the premiership season, while sending a second-tier team, including its top-up players to Morwell for the NAB Challenge.

But after discussions with the club, the AFL insists it will not be a practice match, and only players from the 2012 list can be involved – ruling out the likes of Brendon Goddard.

"We've made it very, very clear for the players who weren't at Essendon in 2012, they can't participate in that activity," the League's football operations manager Mark Evans told AFL.com.au's First Bounce show.

"It wasn't agreed to under those principles. We would have thought if Brendon Goddard was to play any competitive football, then that would be in Morwell," Evans said.

Essendon has named a spare parts team - including 13 top-up players who were either recently delisted by other clubs or are part of the club's VFL squad - to take on the Saints.

However, AFL.com.au revealed on Thursday that Nick O'Brien, Jackson Merrett, Elliott Kavanagh and Lauchlan Dalgleish – who were on the club's list in 2012 – have been cleared to play.

It is the first time the club has confirmed any of its players as not facing infraction notices.

Excluding Merrett, Kavanagh, O'Brien and Dalgleish, there are 21 players on Essendon's list from 2012.

"It's entirely up to Essendon if they want some of their 2012 players to play in Morwell," Evans said.

"If those players have made a good case as to why they think they need to play – and they're comfortable with that – then we accept that.

"Originally they'd come to us and said they want to protect the anonymity of players who are provisionally suspended. They still think they can do that, but we're quite comfortable with that."

AFL.com.au has contacted Essendon for comment over the potential hit-out. James Hird is scheduled to speak to the media on Friday afternoon.

In a wide-ranging interview, Evans also indicated gambling rules would be tightened in the wake of an investigation into suspicious bets placed on NAB AFL Rising Star winner Lewis Taylor last year.

"In terms of the Rising Star and other things, we're certainly looking at our procedures there," he said.

"We either go to something that's far more secretive and controlled after the voting has occurred and/or we close off betting at a certain time."

Evans also said the AFL was sifting through feedback over its proposed changes to the father-son and academy bidding process, which could see clubs coughing up multiple draft picks to secure a single player.

"I think one of the things with the system is it's more complicated than the current system, so people have got to get their head around that," Evans said.

"One, we're talking about does it produce something that's more fair? Then there's this conversation going on about simplicity and fairness and is there some sort of middle ground in there?"

The scrutiny on player bidding comes after Evans simplified the Match Review Panel process late last year.

Under the new system players will be fined rather than suspended for low-end offences, but a third strike would see them miss a match.

North Melbourne forward Lindsay Thomas was the first player sanctioned under the new code for rough conduct in the Roos' NAB Challenge opener against Adelaide.

"Unfortunately for Lindsay this is the first match that he's played in. He's now got another 23 to 28 matches to go for the year," Evans said.

"If he was to do something like that again it would be a higher fine and the third time he would miss a match."

Evans also revealed the AFL hopes to lead the way for Australian sport in relation to concussion after moving to create a set of symptoms that will automatically rule players out of games.

Meanwhile, the footy operations boss said discussions were taking place about the for the next International Rules series versus Ireland – with a match to potentially be played in the USA.