THE AFL Commission has approved changes to its illicit drugs policy, including the controversial hair-testing procedure that will be trialled following the post-season, eight-week holiday break.

But it is understood that the AFL will stick with the three-strikes policy despite past strong opposition from some clubs and the former Howard government after consultation with both the AFL Players' Association and the new Rudd Government.

Yesterday's AFL Commission meeting accepted a series of recommendations put by chief executive Andrew Demetriou and his team regarding the drugs policy. As a result the league is expected to announce within days an increase in the number of positive drug tests from last season while pointing out that the positive results did not match the increased number of tests, which were undertaken as the AFL became more vigilant in both its random and target testing of footballers.

The announcement is expected to preceed by a matter of weeks Ben Cousins' final trip to Melbourne to meet the requirements of the AFL should he decide to nominate, as expected, for this year's draft. Cousins, deregistered by the commission for 12 months, is scheduled back in Melbourne shortly before the preliminary final to meet with three specialists, including a psychologist. He will also have a drug test.

Demetriou confirmed yesterday that Cousins was meeting the cost of all his drug tests and medical appointments along with his flights to Melbourne. "There's no doubt he's determined to get healthy and he's pretty close to making a decision and he's keen to play again," Demetriou told The Age .

Cousins, who has reportedly had strong interest from Collingwood, needs the approval of the commission should he achieve his comeback although it is not clear whether he must front Mike Fitzpatrick and his board or whether he will present his medical evidence over the past year.

"The first thing he needs to do is indicate he needs to play," said Demetriou. "As yet he hasn't put his name up, but, once his name is in, there is a mechanism in place for the AFL Commission to hear his application."

The decision to trial hair testing was revealed by The Age two months ago and has now been approved by the AFLPA following meetings between the executive and every club. The players have agreed to the trial on the basis no strikes can be recorded against their name and in the interests of health and safety.

The hair-testing procedure means players are not interrupted during their holidays but will, if required, give samples of their hair upon returning on the basis that drug use can be sustained in the follicles for as long as eight weeks. The AFL is keen to uncover an escalated use of illicit drugs if it exists during the players end-of-season breaks just as it is working closely with the players to reduce statistics of binge drinking over the off-season.

Cousins' former West Coast teammate Chad Fletcher was rushed to hospital in Las Vegas late in 2007 and reportedly came close to death after an incident allegedly involving illegal drugs.

The policy announcement expected by the AFL this week also comes after heavy consultation with the Federal Government. The Minister for Sport, Kate Ellis, told the ABC's Offsiders program that the government would prefer all sports to follow similar guidelines but added that it would not be adopting the heavy-handed tactics used by the Howard government.

Ellis would not comment on the three-strikes policy but said that her government respected the intensive research the league had undertaken on the issue and that her government was across the AFL's proposed reforms on illicit drugs.

Demetriou refused to comment on yesterday's commission talks but said of Ellis: "I speak to the Minister for Sport on a regular basis and I found her to be a very knowledgeable minister in this area and we are looking forward to working with her."