FORMER North Melbourne chairman James Brayshaw is set to return to calling prime-time footy in 2018.

Brayshaw is expected to make a return to Channel Seven, where he began his television career.

AFL.com.au understands Brayshaw is most likely to join Seven's Saturday Night Football lineup alongside Luke Darcy, Cameron Ling and Matthew Richardson.

Perth based broadcaster Basil Zempilas will still call footy for the network, but his other significant Channel Seven commitments will likely mean his AFL calling roster is reduced.

The jungle drums about Brayshaw's likely return to Seven began beating in September when he joined radio colleague Brian Taylor in the commentary box for the EJ Whitten Legends game. 

The former Kangaroos boss is one of the game's most familiar broadcasters, known best for his work anchoring Triple M's main Saturday coverage.

He is expected to remain a key member Triple M's team.

Brayshaw last called AFL on television for Nine when the network held the rights to three matches a week in the early 2000s.

He was also a regular on Nine's Legends Game telecasts.

Brayshaw left Nine, where he was a co-host of The Footy Show and a contributor to the channel's cricket coverage, at the beginning of 2017 after his contract came to an end.

However, he's no stranger to Seven, where he previously worked in the Adelaide newsroom and once hosted the network's coverage of the Ashes cricket from the UK.

Seven would not confirm any changes to its footy line-up when contacted by AFL.com.au.