COLLINGWOOD has found an unlikely ally in the Brisbane Lions with the two clubs joining forces yesterday against the AFL's proposed salary cap concessions earmarked for the soon-to-be created Gold Coast and western Sydney teams.

With six-and-a-half-years of water having passed under the bridge since the two clubs were at war over similar issues, Magpies president Eddie McGuire was supported at yesterday's AFL talks with the 16 club presidents by his Brisbane counterpart Tony Kelly when McGuire made it clear his club would not support extra money being included in the new clubs' total player payments.

Kelly also strongly opposed the proposed handover — albeit temporary — of the entire state of Queensland as a zone for the Gold Coast club, set to make its debut in 2011.

The Age understands that while yesterday's AFL club talks did not become overly heated, the debate was robust as the clubs expressed their fears over the league's plans to immediately strengthen the new sides so much that a dynasty similar to Brisbane's could be recreated.

McGuire is believed to have pointed out that the AFL over the past two seasons had been enjoying the fruits of an unencumbered competition, thanks to a largely uncompromised draft.

Brisbane chief executive Michael Bowers, whose club no longer receives draft concessions, said last night: "We don't think a salary cap concession is needed, certainly not immediately and only perhaps gradually over a period of time.

"If you are going to provide them with a war chest then it should be for the retention of players, not the acquisition of players. We know the go-home factor affects us and perhaps it will continue to affect the new club but not straight away."

Bowers also questioned whether or not the AFL planned to fully fund any proposed salary cap concessions as the league currently does with Sydney under a cost-of-living allowance.

Under the current proposals for the 17th and 18th teams an extra 10% would be weighted onto the Gold Coast side's total player payments, with an additional 20% onto the western Sydney team.

Collingwood and Essendon declared at the end of 2001 that they would take the AFL to court if it went ahead with proposed local zones for Brisbane and Sydney along with ongoing salary cap concessions.

The AFL finished up scrapping the proposed zones and phased out Brisbane's extra salary cap.

"We've been very supportive of a team on the Gold Coast," said Bowers last night.

"We always said we'd have more to say once we had seen the detail and having seen the detail it effectively rules us out of Queensland for a certain period.

"We'd be disappointed if the effect of the Gold Coast team meant we could no longer do any effective work in our own state. Eighty-one per cent of our rookies over the past six or seven years have been Queensland kids."

The newly created working party overseeing list creation of the two new teams includes Brisbane's football boss Graeme Allan and Collingwood recruiting chief Derek Hine.

The group's first meeting takes place later this month.

Yesterday's talks indicated the AFL had still not reached any meaningful stadium arrangement for the new Gold Coast team.