Clubs will be able to bank unspent salary cap money for future use, opening the door for struggling clubs to target star players once they are more financially secure.

The total player payment banking mechanism, to be introduced next year as part of the AFL's broad new equalisation measures, will allow clubs to spend up to 105 per cent of the salary cap in any given season, provided they have ''underspent'' in any of the previous two years.

It means clubs that have paid less than their full cap will be given an incentive to spend more of their money on players and have the capacity to chase stars, knowing they have greater flexibility in their cap.

While clubs are already managing their salary cap by front loading some player contracts while their list is young or being rebuilt, the new system would enable them to pay a player what he is worth at any particular time, rather than inflate the market.

It should also ensure that players at clubs that cannot afford to pay 100 per cent of their cap because they are struggling off the field will not miss on money they might have earned at stronger teams, with their club able to make it up to them once they are in a stronger financial position.