A plan that could see country footballers tested for drugs in regional South Australia is being welcomed by some, but criticised by others for breaching civil liberties.

The South Australian National Football League (SANFL) has begun talks with country clubs about the idea that would focus on illicit, not performance-enhancing, substances.

The idea of testing country players for drugs like ice and marijuana was put to clubs at the recent SA Country Football Championships held in Port Lincoln on Eyre Peninsula.

It is intended to help combat an entrenched drug culture among many young country men.

Plans for any testing are being overseen by SANFL Integrity Officer Sean Toohey.

The Victorian comes to the newly established position after working for 16 years as a policeman and finishing up as a homicide squad detective.

He said while the plan was in its "very early days" it was not a punitive move but part of a wider plan to combat drug problems.

"I can't release details but what is at the core of it is wanting to help young people with what is a massive and complex issue," he said.

"Clubs and leagues have come requesting assistance in this area.

"We do acknowledge it's a community issue and we play a big part in that community, so it would be naive to think it isn't affecting people at country level in football clubs."

Mr Toohey said SANFL was "undertaking a lot of consultation to try and implement a policy" that provided the necessary help.

"We're merely trying to assist those who aren't fully equipped to respond to these matters, trying to give them a framework to work within and assist them in responding to instances of drug use," he said.

Players could be driven away from football: civil libertarian

Wirrulla Bombers player Joe Pedler said there was merit in the idea but had concerns about the expense of the measure.

"I think there's greater issues in the game, but I'm sure that everyone can tell a story about someone who's been intoxicated or they know that might have taken some drugs before a game," he said.

How such a policy would be resourced is an unanswered question, clubs say. ( Jenni Henderson )

Boston Football Club president Brian Ramsey agreed resourcing the policy could be a problem.

"I think conceptually it's fine. My issue would be how we're going to manage the process," he said.

"I'm sure most clubs promote a drug-free environment and we go far as we humanly can to do that but if we're going to actually test I'd like to know how the process would work.

"We don't have the resources to do it."

The chair of South Australia's Council for Civil Liberties, Claire O'Connor, said it may prove counterproductive by driving young men away from the sport.

"Civil liberties is always a balance," she said.

"You're balancing out the rights of the individual over the rights of the community to be protected and here they're saying we're going to invade the rights of the individual to help the individual.

"Don't exclude them from one environment where they may in fact find an alternate way of life - that is fitness and health - as opposed to using illicit substances which ruins their health."