Collingwood football manager Neil Balme has taken a swipe at the AFL, saying their role in the game has become too big and that head office needs to be downsized.

Despite the fact clubs like the Brisbane Lions and Port Adelaide are struggling financially and are essentially being propped up by the league, Balme believes all clubs should be given more responsibility to run their own operations.

"I think they [the AFL] have got a really tough job, but my own view is that head office takes too big a role in the game," Balme said at the annual Peter Mac Cup Breakfast on Thursday morning ahead of the Magpies' clash with arch rivals Carlton.

"It doesn't mean that they should sack half their staff and let the marketing people at the clubs actually sell the products that are out there, but I think it would be a better idea.

"I think it's all about the AFL, it really should be about the clubs. That's a personal view having been around for a long time.

"No one barracks for the AFL. I reckon the solution is make head office smaller."

One club that is being nursed more than any is Greater Western Sydney.

The Giants have become a massive talking point this week following their 13-goal drubbing of reigning triple premiers Hawthorn.

That ominous result brought GWS' academy concessions into sharp focus with the AFL's newest club reportedly having the rights to five of the best 25 young prospects at this year's draft.

Greater Western Sydney already have 22 first-round picks and six academy players on their list.

While Balme joined the growing chorus of concerned voices urging the AFL to revise the club's academy rights, the veteran administrator was confident a fair outcome would eventually be arrived at.

"We need to have a footy team in the west of Sydney, we need to have one in south-east Queensland, we think that's really important to all of us and we will always support everything that's been done around GWS and we wish them all the best and they're playing fantastic footy," he said.

"I think what we say is now that we look at the path that we've now taken with north academies.

"Essentially, whatever top-line players come out of their prescribed zone they will get as a player and all the other clubs in the south don't get that opportunity.

"What's going to happen this year is the feeling is something like five out of the first 20 or 25 quality players will be within the GWS zone ... it's an unfair advantage if the draft is what drives the game.

"Let's make sure we keep an eye on it, make sure it doesn't get into a position where it's unreasonably difficult for particularly the lesser sides in Melbourne to actually be able to prosper because it is going to be hard work.

"When you manipulate a system, which we've had to do to make sure GWS is successful, sometimes thing will happen that aren't really that fair.

"There will be the right outcome in the end ... we're certainly not saying we are crook on GWS, if we were in that position we'd do exactly the same thing."

After recruiting gun former Giants Adam Treloar and Taylor Adams in recent seasons, Balme confirmed his footy department would continue their pursuit of talented players from the expansion clubs.

"Greater Western Sydney particularly, and probably the Suns to a similar degree, have got an enormous bank of very, very talented players – a fair few of whom aren't going to get an opportunity or going to get a game," Balme said.

"We'll be looking very closely at Greater Western Sydney's kids and say, 'Are any others going to fall out?'

"Even the first-round draft picks – not all of them are getting a game.

"When Treloar became available, it was because Greater Western Sydney couldn't fit him in ... there'll be more of that."