A classy two-footed defender, Flynn Perez was drafted by North Melbourne having suffered an ACL rupture in his draft year.
A capable dual-sport athlete in his youth, Perez also captained Victoria in underage soccer before nominating football as his sport of choice.
He recovered from his ACL rupture in 2019 to make his AFL debut in 2020, playing the final three games of the campaign.
North Melbourne debut: Round 16, 2020
2022: Another disastrous ACL rupture meant Perez was inactive throughout 2021, but the resilient young defender bounced back to play 15 senior games in 2022 – his most in one year.
Shutting down opposition small forwards became a strength of Perez's, while his ability to find the footy grew week to week.
Averaging 12.4 disposals and 3.1 marks, the 21-year-old capped off his career-best season with an impressive performance that included 24 touches and five inside 50s.
As one of the club's more certified small defenders, a spot in North Melbourne backline for 2023 will be open to him if he can add consistency to his developing skillset.
