AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan has flagged the possibility the draft age might be raised amid concerns about how long it takes for high draft picks to impact on their club's performances.

McLachlan said coaches had made it clear to the AFL Commission in their pre-season meeting that the gap was making it tough for players and coaches.

"[It was a] pretty consistent theme that it takes a couple of years to reprogram these talented kids," McLachlan said, adding that there seemed to be an industry push for the draft age to be examined as the gap between the feeder competitions and AFL clubs widens.

McLachlan believes the League needs to find ways to accelerate the rebuild process to make it easier for clubs to move from cellar dwellers to realistic premiership contenders.

Speaking on SEN McLachlan said the dominance of certain clubs in the past six years showed it was harder for clubs to push from the bottom of the ladder to the top.

"I think it is a real issue. There is a big lead time now between bottoming out and your chance. If there are opportunities to accelerate that we will explore them."

The League has also appointed former AFL Commissioner Bill Kelty to do an Australia-wide review of the game at all levels below the elite level.

McLachlan said the long path of gaining early picks and developing them into powerful teams had worked for several clubs, but conceded it was difficult for supporters who required patience.

"Historically you get the rewards...but god it takes a long time," he said. "Our guys are looking at whether we can do something quicker."

McLachlan also pointed to a coalition of players, coaches and medical experts having a say in reviewing the League’s 10-year-old illicit drugs policy.

The AFL’s voluntary three-strike strategy has come under fire as Collingwood players Josh Thomas and Lachie Keeffe prepare to plead their case to ASADA after testing positive to banned drug Clenbuterol.

“There are huge community issues with illicit drugs, our players are not immune and we think it’s right after 10 years in the context of some other issues going on to review those settings,” McLachlan told Crocmedia's AFL Live.

“We have had a policy in place for 10 years. It’s a voluntary program we had in place well before any other code. So we’ve got a level of data and a level of understanding.

“There’s nothing I’ve seen in the data that says that there’s a huge problem that’s blown up in the last six months. But this a journey that will go on for a long time.”