MELBOURNE has been asked for an official explanation of its meeting with uncontracted young Fremantle ruckman Robert Warnock.

After Dockers coach Mark Harvey labelled the Demons' meeting with the 21-year-old last week an "ambush", AFL football operations manager Adrian Anderson said he had written to the club to ensure that no official offer had been made to the former Sandringham junior.

Melbourne coach Dean Bailey, football manager Chris Connolly and a group of players showed Warnock around the club's headquarters last week, pitching the club's prospects in a surprise Powerpoint presentation.

Under AFL rules, clubs are unable to offer a player a contract until their season has officially ended. Several other clubs have also expressed interest in Warnock, who had season-ending shoulder surgery last month.

"We've written to Melbourne, and we do have some concern," Anderson said this week. It is believed he has already discussed the matter with Connolly.

"Whether or not the meeting with Warnock was appropriate, there are clear rules preventing clubs from making financial offers to players who are under contract with another club. It's certainly not something that we would ever like to see happening."

Should Warnock decide to leave Fremantle, where he has played 21 games since being drafted in 2005, Melbourne would be seen to be in prime position to secure him, given his brother Matthew, plays there and, more importantly, the club will hold the No. 1 choice in the pre-season draft.

But, Richmond coach Terry Wallace this week said that should the ruckman become available, his club would also be in the chase. "He's a big boy, he's a big lad. And he's a Melbourne-based boy who looks clearly like he's coming back to Melbourne," Wallace said. "Of course, from a recruiting perspective, we'd be in the marketplace."

Harvey expressed concerns this week that players were being approached before the end of their season and said the AFL should work hard to outlaw such poaching attempts.

"We've still got a month or six weeks for possible moves, so why should it happen during a season?" he said.

"I can sit here and take pot shots at players from other clubs that I would like to get to Fremantle, but I don't do that. Robbie's a terrific kid and I am not sure he needs the pressure he is going through at such a young age."