The AFL has started to put the "building blocks" together for a new concussion study on a range of players.
With the premature retirement of Melbourne player Angus Brayshaw and the ongoing class action battle the league faces, head injuries have become a sticking point in modern football.
AFL CEO Andrew Dillon offered insight into the work the league is doing regarding concussions, saying brain scans of draftees could be a part of a long-term study.
"We have the health and safety and welfare of all players at all levels of the game as a real priority for us," Dillon said onย 3AW.
"We have six staff at the AFL working in our medical team and dealing with concussion and brain injuries, which is important for them.
"And we are looking at doing a longitudinal study which will include a range of players and scans may be part of that.
"But we're putting the building blocks in place for that study for the moment."
Reports have suggested that for the study to be as effective as possible, it'll include the brain scans of new draftees to obtain the best information possible.
"There's a potential for (draftees undergoing scans before they play AFL football)," Dillon said.
"But like we do in any of our health and welfare, we'll be guided by what the doctors say and what the best scientific and medical evidence says.
"And it is an option at the moment that we're exploring"
According to journalist Jake Niall, a plan has been outlined to clubs by one of the AFL's concussion experts, Dr Catherine Willmott.
Dr Willmott - who is the head of concussion innovation and research at the AFL - suggested that testing blood and saliva for DNA information can assist with understanding brain health while undergoing consistent scans could also help in revealing changes in a player's brain.
There is no timeline on when these measures will be introduced with considerations on how the process will function regarding costs, and whether the scans and tests be mandatory or voluntary, are yet to be determined.
