CLUB greats will present draftees with their jumpers on the opening night of this year's AFL Draft after the League pushed for more former players to be involved in the night.

In recent years a mix of coaches, ex-stars and current players have been tasked with presenting the jumpers to the freshly picked draftees at the event at Marvel Stadium.

However the AFL has written to clubs encouraging them to use a former great to have the honour of handing over the jumper to the new addition for the opening night of the draft.

Last year Essendon champion Matthew Lloyd, a former skipper at the Bombers, three-time Coleman medalist and 2000 premiership player, handed over the Essendon jumper to new draftee Elijah Tsatas, with the AFL looking for more former players to be involved.

It will be part of a slightly different looking draft event when names are called in the first round on Monday, November 20, with draftees able to bring up to 20 family members and friends to share the moment they are selected to add to the atmosphere of the event.

New AFL boss Andrew Dillon will also read out the No.1 pick in his first official event at the helm as the League's chief executive since Gillon McLachlan departed at the end of the season.

Around 15 players will be in attendance at the draft on the opening night, with the first round expected to balloon to more than 25 selections with bids on Academy and father-son players.

The remaining rounds will then take place on Tuesday, November 21, with the rookie and pre-season draft on Wednesday, November 22.