THE AFL and the AFL Coaches Association have signed a formal agreement that will allow the two parties to better combine their efforts to both grow the game and enhance the professionalism of coaches at all levels of the sport.

Under the terms of the agreement the AFL will provide funding to the Coaches Association of approximately $600,000 a year for three years which will be used to implement a range of programs including state and community development, tertiary education and career transition assistance. 

In return, over and above the normal demands of their positions, the AFL's 16 senior coaches will assist the League in its efforts to grow the game by giving their time and expertise to key development initiatives.

The new agreement signals a significant boost in the activity of the Coaches Association which was established in 2002.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou and newly-appointed AFLCA chief executive Danny Frawley briefed AFL senior coaches on the key points of the historic deal at a meeting in Melbourne on Friday evening.

"We've worked very closely with the AFL Coaches Association this year … we respect the coaches, we respect their place in the game and they'll be helping us grow the game which is a really good thing," Demetriou said at the conclusion of the briefing.

"We know that our players are very powerful in helping us promote the game … and the next group that has the most powerful influence in the community is the coaches.

"My view has always been the same and that is that our industry is a very collaborative one. You get far better outcomes when you work with groups whether it be players, coaches or clubs. There's no doubt this is a positive." 

Frawley, who paid tribute to outgoing chief executive Neale Daniher for his efforts in securing the deal, agreed there would be benefits across the board, but added the welfare of the 96 assistant coaches throughout the League would receive much-needed attention.

Coaching contracts in the future will need to satisfy minimum terms and conditions and he promised better support for AFL coaches, both senior and assistant, if they find themselves out of a job.

"The transitional side of league coaching is not a great time, so we want to make sure they're up-skilled and if they don't get a job at another club, that we've skilled them up well enough to get a job in the corporate world," Frawley said.

"Too often with clubs it's out with the old and in with the new and not a lot of time is spent on an ex-coach.

"The average age of an assistant coach transitioning out of football is 42 and they've normally got a young family at school and there's a lot of bills to pay so it's a pretty worrying time."

The AFLCA aims to define clearer pathways into coaching and develop the skills of coaches from the grass roots level up with a new Association website to be built in the coming weeks as part of the effort to achieve those goals.