THE AFL COACHES Association has welcomed the umpires coaches into their fold in a move it believes will aid the whistleblowers' development and understanding of the game.

The AFLCA signed off this week on adding umpires coach Hayden Kennedy and his three assistant coaches to the professional association, which represents 180 coaches.

AFLCA chief executive Mark Brayshaw said the decision showed the coaches were interested in enhancing the game by working closer with the umpires.

"(Head of umpiring) Wayne Campbell and I met last year and he suggested that, since there was a lot in common between umpires coaches and AFL coaches, the umpires coaches should join our Association," Brayshaw said. 

"Since then, we tested the idea informally amongst a few AFL coaches and then formally submitted it to our AFLCA advisory board last week.  

"Based on their unanimous support, the board was happy to give its endorsement.

"AFL coaches will support anything that can help grow the game.  We think that working with umpires coaches and assisting in their development is in everyone’s best interests, so we welcome the umpires coaches to our ranks.” 

Campbell, who took over as the AFL's head of umpiring in late 2013, agreed the collaboration would help the umpires better understand the game.

"Each club employs about 10 coaches and they set much of the games’ direction," Campbell said.

"And the game is constantly evolving, so to collaborate with AFL coaches will allow us to understand their perspective, which I think will enhance the way we umpire the game.  

"It is a real endorsement of the role we play in the eyes of 180 of some of the AFL’s most important people."