AFL Victoria will trial opening the clearance window in December this year, as opposed to the February 1 opening date that is set for the 2015 season.

The move forward is designed to prevent situations where a player signs with a different club pre-Christmas, only to not be granted a clearance once the transfer window opens in February.

The trial will form part of the investigation into helping curb sky-rocketing player payments.

Football leagues throughout Victoria have been given until the end of next week to nominate whether they will take part in trials.

AFL Victoria plans to implement a salary cap and player points system for the 2016 season, but will initially implement trials across a number of leagues in the country and metropolitan leagues this year.

It is expected the leagues that will take part will be announced in mid-February.

Metropolitan Community League chief executives and Country Region general managers have until January 30 to provide feedback on a range of proposed provisions that aim to address equalisation issues in community football.

It is up to individual leagues to nominate if they wish to take part in the player payments trial this year.

Community football and engagement manager Brett Connell said the onus was now on the leagues to decide whether they participate in the trial.

“These important stakeholders have been given to January 30 to respond as to how they believe these proposed provisions will affect their affiliated leagues and clubs, and to nominate whether they wish to take part in a series of trials that will be undertaken this year in a select number of competitions,” he said.

AFL Victoria is also seeking feedback on the proposed clearance window alteration.

patrick.nolan@fairfaxmedia.com.au