ST KILDA chief executive Matt Finnis has played down talks of a strike should talks between the AFL Players' Association and the League reach a stalemate, with the players pushing for a significant pay increase.

The major sticking point of the new collective bargaining agreement, is set to be over the union’s push for total player payments to be based on a fixed percentage of total revenue from the AFL and clubs.

It has been reported that at least two clubs are preparing for the possibility of a strike, should the AFLPA and the League be unable to come to terms.

At a recent AFL Player Agents conference, prominent manager Craig Kelly said industrial action shouldn't be considered and Finnis, the former boss of the AFLPA, told AFL.com.au he didn't believe the players would threaten to strike should negotiations reach a stalemate.

"Even in my time at the PA, you recognise that players have short careers," Finnis said.

"They want to play footy so taking strike action is not something that sits in the top five of the arsenal of the players to try and leverage a position.

"I'd be confident that we can keep playing footy at the same time as negotiations are going."

Finnis was a central figure in the most recent collective bargaining agreement in 2011, and was a strong advocate in his time at the AFLPA for a set percentage of revenue for the players. 

He now finds himself on the other side of the fence, and has urged the League and players' union to keep the fans "in the forefront of their minds" as they embark on discussions. 

"I'm certain the game will look after the players and recognise the important role they play," Finnis said.

"Whether that's a fixed percentage or it represents a percentage over the course of the deal, there's a number of ways to skin that cat. 

"There will be rocky points, and perhaps if there are no arguments, you're not trying. But I think the game has an ability to recognise we have our differences but ultimately we all exist for a game, which is not owned by the League. 

"It's not owned by the players or even by the clubs. It's owned by the fans and that's why we're all here."