The AFL's decision to bar transgender footballer Hannah Mouncey from yesterday's AFL Women's draft smacks of policy on the run.

At the heart of the decision is a contradiction: Mouncey can't play in next year's AFLW competition, but she can play in any other AFL-affiliated women's competition.

To briefly backtrack: Mouncey has been playing football for Ainslie in the AFL's Canberra Women's competition. Last year she kicked 17 goals and was named as an emergency in a Canberra representative side.

She's 190 centimetres tall and weighs 100 kilograms.

Presumably it was those statistics the AFL was referring to in its media statement on the decision.

"The subcommittee carefully considered all of the information provided by Hannah, as well as the available data on transgender strength, stamina, physique along with the specific nature of the AFLW competition," the AFL said in a statement.

Regarding the one year-old league it "took into account the stage of maturity of the AFLW competition, its current player cohort and Ms Mouncey's individual circumstances".

The logic is that the AFLW competition is not mature enough to handle a player of Mouncey's physique.

Lawyer Justin Quill told the ABC: " In making this decision, the AFL would have been really concerned about the health and safety of the other women in the AFLW competition."

However, the AFL ruled she can nominate for future AFLW drafts and can play in any other Australian Football competition.

It is a bizarre situation when a player is ruled ineligible to play in a competition with the elite women players — those who are the fittest, strongest and most skilful in the country — and yet she can play with women in a competition whose skills and strength are at a far lower standard.

Mouncey said while she was "extremely disappointed with the AFL's decision regarding my participation in tomorrow's AFLW draft, I thank them for the genuine way in which they approached my situation".

Sorry, this video has expired Hannah Mouncey ineligible for draft

Brownlow medallist Adam Cooney told Fox Sports: "There's a girl who's at home who's devastated that she can't participate in the AFLW, but the AFL have said to her she's fine to back and play in her local women's leagues so it just smacks of hypocrisy."

"I'm not actually sure even the AFL know their stance on this."

And this is the point the AFL Players Association is ramming home.

In a statement, the association said: "The AFLPA believes there should have been clear guidelines available for transgender players wishing to enter the AFLW draft this year.

"No athlete should face such confusion around their eligibility for an elite competition just days out from a draft.

"We have urged the AFL to prioritise the development of guidelines detailing the process and parameters for entry into the AFLW competition, so that Hannah and any other players have a clear understanding of their eligibility."

Transgender advocate Jenni Atkinson was mystified by the decision.

"I'm a bit surprised because Hannah is a woman, this is the women's AFL, what is the issue?" she said.

Given the AFL's decision was made less than 24 hours before the draft, Mouncey won't have time to appeal.

But time is clearly what the AFL is looking for.

They have given themselves a year now to provide the certainty and clarity that the Players Association, Mouncey and other transgender players are so desperately seeking.