In the days leading up to the AFL draft Sporting News is taking a look at each club’s selections, needs, likely draftees and historical performance on draft day.
Do they like to load up on youth, or prefer to trade away early picks?
Will they lean towards home-grown talent or trust their systems to stop homesick kids leaving in a couple of years’ time?
MORE: North Melbourne's 2018 season in review
And what’s on this year’s shopping list: talls, midfielders or a creative small forward?
NORTH MELBOURNE KANGAROOS
Draft picks after the trade period: 42, 47, 48, 49, 55, 58, 86
What North Melbourne needs
The Kangaroos stunned the football world by falling just short of finals in 2018 after many had them as wooden spoon favourites in the pre-season, but the result may be papering over a few cracks that will be difficult to fill.
North put everything into the trade period and came out with a bag full of decent players if no out-and-out superstars.
Jared Polec, Dom Tyson, Jasper Pittard and Aaron Hall could prove a very nice shopping spree and addressed a need for outside run, but they lost their second-choice ruckman, Brayden Preuss, and big men are in short supply at Arden Street.
With current ruckman Todd Goldstein hitting 31 next year, key forward Jarrad Waite retiring and key defenders Scott Thompson (32) and Robbie Tarrant (30 in April) also getting long in the tooth, talls are a priority.
North Melbourne’s likely draftees
The Roos traded away their first-round selection for Polec and Pittard, leaving them inactive at the draft until the third round, where they have six selections.
Some of those will be used for points to meet any early bids on Tarryn Thomas, a classy midfield prospect from their Tasmanian Next Generation Academy.
North may also need to combine a couple of picks if interest is shown by other clubs in father-son choice Bailey Scott. The hard-working midfielder could attract attention from the early second round, although North will be hoping he gets through for a simple third-round selection.
If any of the Kangaroos’ first six picks are still available they will possibly grab Riley Grundy, the 195cm little brother of Collingwood ruckman Brodie.
Grundy doesn’t have the exciting qualities of his sibling, but he’s athletic and disciplined, making him a potential long-term key defender.
Kyle Reid is another big backman who should be available in the 50s.
North Melbourne’s draft history 1986 – 2017
Number of top-20 selections: 33
Average games played at the Kangaroos by top-20 selections: 84.8
Most games played for the Roos by a top-20 selection
306 Adam Simpson (pick 14, 1993)
292 Anthony Stevens (pick 18, 1988)
245 Brady Rawlings (pick 15, 1998)
Most games played for the Kangaroos by later selections
432 Brent Harvey (pick 47, 1995)
316 Drew Petrie (pick 23, 2000)
241 David King (pick 46, 1993)
Most games played by rookie draft selections:
273 Michael Firrito (2003)
139 Leigh Harding (2001)
In recent AFL draft history North Melbourne has …
… taken a few high picks that are yet to prove their worth. Brad McKenzie (pick 18, 2011) played just 37 games before being delisted a the end of 2016, Taylor Garner (pick 15, 2012) has played 34 of a possible 138, Sam Durdin (pick 16, 2014) nine of a possible 91, and Ben McKay (pick 21, 2015) is still on the list after just one game in three seasons.
The pressure is on last year’s much-fancied number four selection, Luke Davies-Uniacke, who ran out seven times this season, fewer than any other of 2017’s top-10 draftees.
