PORT ADELAIDE coach Mark Williams yesterday denied he had made illegal entreaties to players at other AFL clubs.

League rules stipulate that no deals can be done outside the end-of-season trade week and national/pre-season draft days, something Williams has come close to flaunting by boasting he has been in touch with certain people.

Williams was adamant he had not engaged in the practice of illegally "tapping up" any players.

"I'm saying they're talking to me … I'm not ringing them up," he said.

Williams was also sure many of his players would be on the line to coaches elsewhere.

AAP