JEFF KENNETT says AFL clubs need to get their heads around having their top players and administrators poached by the expansion clubs.

Respected Geelong CEO Brian Cook was approached to head the Gold Coast administration, and the Hawthorn president said it was obvious that the talent – both on and off field – would have to be sourced from somewhere.

"The clubs have agreed with the 17th and 18th teams, therefore they can hardly be surprised if the new clubs look for people to fill the roles from within (existing) clubs. So they can't have their cake and eat it too," Kennett told the Herald Sun.

"(Poaching) happens between clubs anyway, so the fact two more are coming into the competition won't change the mix very much, I wouldn't have thought."

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire queried the idea of expansion last week after the global financial downturn, but Kennett was hanging tough, saying the time was right.

"Now that we have made the decision, we have got to continue with it, and the AFL is not affected in the short term by what is happening in global markets.

"Our revenue comes basically from television, and that is all secured for the next two or three years.

"In terms of Eddie and the others, and the economic circumstances, that ignores the reality that the AFL is debt-free and has plenty of cash.

"I am not about backing off simply because of what is happening around the world.

"Now is a very good time to invest. We are not talking about investing for one or two years, it is for the rest of the AFL history, therefore it makes no sense to delay."