YOUNG Adelaide recruit Patrick Dangerfield will be allowed to play for TAC Cup side Geelong Falcons while he finishes school, the AFL says.

Dangerfield, 17, was selected by Adelaide at pick 10 in the 2007 NAB AFL Draft, and remained at Moggs Creek, in Victoria’s west, to complete his schooling at Oberon High School.

The Crows sought AFL approval for Dangerfield to play with his local TAC Cup side, and the league said it took into account the player’s “exceptional circumstances”.

AFL football operations manager Adrian Anderson said he had consulted rival clubs, the AFL's Game Development department and his own Football Operations department before reaching his decision.

"In previous years, a number of players such as Luke Ball, Daniel Currie and Anthony Raso have not continued to play in the TAC Cup after being drafted to an AFL club, but each of these players had the opportunity to play in an organised secondary school competition,” Anderson said.

“None of these players applied to the AFL for permission to play in the TAC Cup.”

The AFL said none of the nine clubs with higher selections than the Crows in last year's draft indicated their choice would have been affected had they known Dangerfield would be eligible to play in the TAC Cup.

"In light of player Dangerfield's exceptional circumstances, I have made the decision to permit him to play with the Falcons in 2008 while he completes year 12,” Anderson said.