THE AFL may ban clubs from attempting to poach opposition coaches while they are under contract.

On Thursday night, it was revealed on Channel Nine that Gold Coast had sounded out North Melbourne coach Brad Scott to see whether he would be interested in filling the vacant Suns' coaching position that Rodney Eade eventually took.

Scott rejected the bid and immediately told North Melbourne, who were incensed that their senior coach had been approached despite having two years on his contract to run.

Football operations boss Mark Evans told AFL Media's First Bounce program on Thursday, the coaches had raised the issue with him informally and he would look at how other sports managed the situation.

"A couple of coaches have raised with me some of the anti-tampering rules in the NFL, where you're actually prohibited to speak to an employee of another club while in contract unless you've got the express permission of the other club," Evans said.  

"I think we should have a look at that and see if there's something we can learn."

Fremantle's Ross Lyon is the only coach since Denis Pagan moved from North Melbourne to Carlton at the end of 2002 to go from senior coach at one club to another between seasons.

Lyon was coming out of contract at St Kilda when the Dockers approached him at the end of 2011.

Port Adelaide has lost two senior assistants to senior coaching jobs in consecutive seasons, with Phil Walsh joining Adelaide and Alan Richardson joining St Kilda.

Its CEO Keith Thomas told AFL.com.au that clubs accepted senior assistants or directors of coaching might be approached for senior positions.

While it did affect the club, they were happy for people such as Walsh and Richardson to fulfill their dreams.

However he said say it was a different scenario with a senior coach who had a long-term contract.

"Clubs should not really have to be concerned about defending those positions," Thomas said.