AFL legend Leigh Matthews has opened up on his concerns about a mid-season trade with teams potentially poaching players from other clubs.

This comes after Collingwood coach Craig McRae's push for a mid-season trade period with the club without its first two ruck options, with both Darcy Cameron (MCL) and Mason Cox (rib) sidelined.

Since the mid-season draft rookie returned in 2019, it has generated credible success with Marlion Pickett going from South Fremantle in the WAFL to Richmond, Ryan Gardner to the Western Bulldogs, John Noble and Ash Johnson to Collingwood, Will Snelling and Sam Durham to Essendon, Jai Newcombe to Hawthorn, James Peatling to GWS, Connor West and Jai Culley to West Coast, and Brynn Teakle to Port Adelaide.

Speaking to Sam McClure on 3AW, Matthews is wary of the fact teams will be able to talk to opposition players' well in advance to come to their club.

"The reason I'm reticent is it also opens the door for poaching when a player is not getting a game at a club. It's one thing to be talked about for next season, but if say listen we might be able to get you in June," Matthews said.

"From the individual players' point of view who can't get a game, yes it adds up.

"The ruck position is a really unique one, obviously you need tall players. There's almost no club in the competition that have got a third or fourth ruckman. I mean they might have one good one. One that's okay, even Melbourne say who have Gawn and Grundy. So if you haven't got Gawn or Grundy, who's next in line at Melbourne?

"Collingwood who have lost their two ruckman, so the next in line is usually most clubs have a 19 or 20-year-old kid who they have drafted, but they'll take years to be mature enough.

"So picking up players from outside the AFL competition, there would be I would say a number of what you call journeymen ruckman in the WAFL, SANFL, or the VFL who Collingwood would love to call on this week."

When further asked about the potential for poaching players from other clubs, Matthews says it comes down to whether the player wants to seek greater opportunities.

"That's the worst case scenario," Matthews said.

"It makes the player in a sense unhappy. I can get a game, this club wants me, but I'm stuck in the reserves for the time being.

"I mean when you get to after the trade period pre-Christmas, this is our squad. But no squad is going to be immune from having their two best ruckman unavailable for a period of time."