The Kangaroos’ 45-point hiding from fellow cellar-dweller Hawthorn on Sunday means they have won only 10 of their last 88 games during a four-year-plus period that they never finished higher than second-last and claimed two wooden spoons.
It was not lost on anyone that reigning No.1 selection and budding superstar Harley Reid inspired resurgent West Coast to a boilover derby win over Fremantle on the same weekend the Roos tumbled to a new low.North Melbourne were in pole position for generational talent Reid entering round 24 last season until they “lost” the top pick by defeating a Gold Coast team preparing to welcome Damien Hardwick as coach.
Ben McKay’s free agency departure to Essendon last year might have delivered a high draft pick, which became Zane Duursma, but exacerbated the issue.The headache for North Melbourne’s recruiters, headed by list boss Brady Rawlings, is the elite prospects in this year’s draft class are midfielders, from No.1 pick-elect Josh Smillie to Finn O’Sullivan, Levi Ashcroft – who will likely follow brother Will to Brisbane as a father-son selection – Sid Draper, Jagga Smith and Christian Moraes.
There were various thoughts on how they could do that, from “splitting” their highest pick to move down the order with multiple selections, to possibly dangling it for a high-profile – but age-appropriate – key defender in the trade period, given there are few appealing free agents this year.North have not spent a top-20 pick on a key-position prospect across the four years since their deep player cuts at the end of a wretched 2020 season.
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Source: 7NewsAustralia - 🏆 11. / 71 Read more »