The AFL is considering establishing the second-tier competition to accommodate the reserves teams of expansion clubs the Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney.

Fellow non-Victorian clubs the Sydney Swans and the Brisbane Lions would be expected to follow suit.

The Swans, who currently send their reserves to the ACT, could be joined by one or two other AFL Canberra clubs.

Another option is an ACT representative team.

Either scenario would severely weaken the current competition, widely regarded as superior to what is on offer in Sydney.

Apart from the four Queensland and NSW AFL clubs, other teams mooted to be involved include the Northern Territory Thunder along with teams from the AFL Queensland and the Sydney AFL competition.

AFL NSW-ACT general manager Dale Holmes said discussions were still at the preliminary stages.

''Over the course of this year the AFL, in collaboration with the state leagues, will look at various options for what might be when the two new clubs play in the AFL competition,'' Holmes said.

''When Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney are in play one thing we need to consider is what is the best structure for the reserve-based competition, and how do we think about developing the code in Queensland and NSW.

For more on this story, see the print edition of today's Canberra Times.