Premiership coaches Damien Hardwick and Luke Beveridge have this week thrown their voices behind fresh calls to raise the draft age, citing benefits for both young players and AFL clubs.

But critics of that plan have suggested the existing rules - which stipulate players must be at least 18 on December 31 in the year they are drafted to be eligible for selection - work just fine.

"The draft age is being discussed by working groups," McLachlan said on Thursday.

"I know there are various views on all of that, but one thing I've heard in the last 24 hours from various people around football ... is that the best 18-year-old kids are walking straight into very good teams and having an impact straight away.

"People are looking for the whole draft class to be more mature, but they certainly don't want to have less access to the best 18-year-olds."

Some prominent football figures have suggested the coronavirus pandemic presents an opportunity to raise the draft age, with players currently unable to push their draft cases because feeder competitions are currently shutdown.

But one sticking point already raised by clubs is that future pick trading has already been done with an eye towards this year's draft.

Many clubs' plans would be thrown out of whack if the draft was put on hold for a year.

McLachlan dismissed suggestions the draft would not go ahead at all in 2020.

"I'm very confident that the draft will go ahead," he said.

"Clearly there's a possibility that it will be in a different form in the way that it's broadcast and the way it's done, just because of the environment.

"But we will need a draft."

Australian Associated Press