The AFL’s 18 clubs will break with tradition when their players don their surnames above their numbers on the backs of their jumpers this weekend.

Round five will be held across the Easter weekend, with Collingwood scheduled to take on North Melbourne on Easter Saturday at the MCG.

Earlier this year, the League's deputy Chief Executive Gillon McLachlan told AFL Media all 18 teams would be part of the trial.

"We've got 80-odd players coming into our game every year, and…we're obviously clearly trying to grow the game in New South Wales and Queensland, as well as in the new communities (that are) part of the third wave of immigration," he said.

"So there's a lot of people we're trying to educate about who our players are generally.

Click here to view the player name guernsey auction (please note the auction will not be live until 10am on Thursday 17 April).

"It's about actually having our players clearly identified to all our fans."

As for why the AFL was trialling names on the backs of jumpers rather than introducing it for an entire season, McLachlan said, "The tradition in our game is incredibly important and we want to see what the reaction is, even though it's got strong support from our clubs.

"There's also an executional element. Our jumpers are different. There's a tight space across the back because they cut in at the sleeves.

"There'll be some restrictions around the size of the letters and how that will work.

"We want to see what it looks like when we actually execute it and if it's going to work."

Guernsey Auction
On Thursday 17 April, the authentic player issued guernseys will be available for auction.

They will be personally signed by the player for whom it was made, and should the player take to the field against North Melbourne, the guernsey on offer will be the authentic match-worn guernsey.

The guernseys of the players who are not selected will also be offered for auction as clean non-match worn guernseys.

All guernseys will be personally signed and come with an official AFLPA Certificate of Authenticity to protect your investment.

The auction will open at 10am on Thursday 17 April and will close on Sunday 27 April.

Click here to view the player name guernsey auction (please note the auction will not be live until 10am on Thursday 17 April).