The amount of Canberra players moving to the Riverina or Farrer League has grown exponentially this year, and Belconnen president Scott Reid said the inflated marketplace has become a big issue.

"There was a time when the richer Canberra clubs would take some talent out of the Riverina, but the bastardisation that occurs within the code itself is probably getting to the point of being ridiculous," he said.

"Our biggest argument is now recruitment is rife and they're paying such overs for mostly second grade footballers. Something's got to give if we want the AFL to get the results they're after, which is very strong, community-based football competitions so player can go through a pathway and we can produce the best talent.

We need the community to thrive and it won't happen if clubs can't match the market rate created, and I believe there needs to be a deterrent for both Canberra and Riverina clubs.

"Predominately the exodus out of the Canberra market is slowly but surely diminishing our ability to field a really strong competition."

Reid said uniform player points and salary cap guidelines is the "only way" recruitment equalisation will be achieved.

"It's a money issue more than anything else. The six Canberra clubs in the top grade have tried so hard to convince players to stay, and we're probably committing a lot more dollars than what we should to retain players," he said.

"The only way the AFL will bring in some equalisation around recruitment is make it a level playing field all through NSW. So we all run to the same salary cap and points system, but then the auditors can be put in place.

"It only takes one or two clubs to get caught out and the deterrent will be there.

"We need direction from the AFL, they need to understand the crisis. We're all haemorrhaging here in Canberra because of COVID and our licensed club situation and the pokie machine challenges we have with the ACT government.

"I'm really confident the people that have been appointed will get somewhere and we'll have some sort of fair and even system."

Eastlake Demons general manager of football Shaun Young agreed an equalisation measure across the board was a priority.

"It (Riverina clubs recruiting Canberra talent) has certainly ramped up this year, we've been impacted more so than any other year," he said.

"I agree with Belconnen that it would be nice to have a generic set of rules and regulations across the AFL Canberra competition, the Farrer, Riverina and Hume Leagues.

"If everyone's on a so-called level playing field it is a bit of a deterrent. All clubs need to look at their internal structures and how they go about their retention of talent, but it's a bit out of kilter at the moment.

"From what we've head from the AFL I'm extremely confident the governing body will seriously look at what they need to do to implement some generic rules and regulations in the future."

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