The ban, revealed by Fairfax Media last month prevented the Swans from acquiring players from other AFL clubs during in 2014 or 2015 - either in the trade period, or as a restricted or unrestricted free agent.

However, league chief executive Gillon McLachlan has suggested that the AFL had not ruled out amending the arrangement, with league representatives meeting with the Swans on Thursday morning on the Gold Coast before the draft.

"We have to accept it's a pretty black and white rule at the moment, but it's been well thought through over many meetings with the Swans," McLachlan told the AFL website on Thursday.

"If we can soften it and find a way that it actually works going forward, so it's a little less stark, then we'll do that."

Sydney was given a choice that in order for their Cost of Living Allowance would be removed immediately, rather than being phased out over two years as is currently the case.

McLachlan also stated that the league had erred in the way it had communicated the restrictions to the Swans.

"I'll take responsibility. I think it was poorly communicated," McLachlan said.

"And that was a bit in response to the Swans not wanting to communicate it [the ban] because they wanted to use maximum leverage going into that trade period.

"I think in retrospect we should've communicated that properly."

Sydney was miffed when the ban was initially announced, with their chief executive, Andrew Ireland, outlining his dismay.

"We're not happy about it," Ireland said in October.

"We don't understand it and we'll continue to talk to them about it. We think we're being penalised for complying with AFL rules.

"The only way we've been able to recruit players in the past is by losing other players and creating enough salary cap space to bring players in, like every other club."