The 2017 AFL National Draft may have come and gone, but the opportunity for clubs to add players to their list isn’t quite over.
Tonight, those players who missed out on Friday, and players without a club after being delisted, will have a second chance at a shot at the AFL.
The Rookie Draft may not have the profile of the national draft, but there are certainly still some potential stars to be uncovered, if history is anything to go by.
Here are some of the best rookies to land at North in recent years.
Leigh Harding
Arriving at North Melbourne with pick 13 of the 2000 Rookie Draft, Harding went on to play 141 games for the club, kicking 157 goals, including a club-high 33 goals in the 2003 season.
Originally a small crumbing forward, Harding suffered a serious knee injury late in 2006 that kept him out of the entire 2007 season. Upon his return Harding re-invented himself as running half-back, with this being his role up until retirement in 2010.
Leigh Adams
The second Leigh on this list, Leigh Adams was selected with North’s first pick in the 2006 Rookie Draft. His early years at North were largely interrupted, as he managed just eight appearances prior to the 2010 season.
From 2010-2014, Adams cemented himself as an important member of the Northside, producing some huge performances, including a 37-disposal effort against GWS Giants in 2012.
In 2015, at the age of just 27, Adams sadly retired as a result of a history of concussions and the side-effects associated. Despite this early retirement, Adams still was able to clock up a very respectable 104 games and 72 AFL goals.
Sam Gibson
Taken with pick 63 at the 2011 Rookie Draft, Sam Gibson famously holds the record for consecutive games from debut, playing in 130 consecutive matches since his first match in round 12 of 2012.
An elite runner, Gibson often found himself tagging the best of the game’s midfielders when they faced North, with his performance on a red-hot Rory Sloane in Round 7 of 2017 being documented as a major factor in the Roos’ crushing 59-point win.
As his games record suggests, Gibson was a model of consistency during his time at North, recording top-10 finishes in the Syd Barker Medal count in four of his five full seasons at North.
He was traded to Adelaide during the 2017 exchange period.
Scott McMahon
Despite gaining All-Australian recognition at the 2003 U-18 National Championships, McMahon surprisingly went unselected at the 2003 National Draft.
The other clubs’ loss was North’s gain, as it selected the defender with pick 38 of that year’s Rookie Draft.
From 2007-2012, McMahon established himself as a key member of the North backline, averaging more than 17 games per season in this period.
McMahon departed the club in 2015 having played 124 AFL matches.
Nathan Grima
Nathan Grima was picked by North with pick 14 at the 2007 Rookie Draft. The big-bodied key defender managed to carve out a successful, albeit injury-riddled career, featuring in 86 games for the club between 2009 and 2014.
Grima famously kicked the first goal of his career in 2013 against Essendon, in his 72nd game for North.
The number 17 added two more games to his AFL tally in 2016 for the Essendon Football Club, as he came out of retirement to help the Bombers as a top-up player in the wake of their supplement scandal.
Matt Campbell
A speedy and skillful small-forward, Matt Campbell originally joined the club as pick 34 in the 2006 Rookie Draft.
Campbell made an immediate impact at North Melbourne, playing 13 games in his debut season. The 170-centimetre goal sneak was involved in 82 games for North, kicking 79 goals for the club.
Hailing from Alice Springs, Campbell was a part of the 2009 Indigenous All-Stars squad, starring in a win against Adelaide.
At the end of 2012, Campbell returned to his former SANFL club North Adelaide, before retiring in 2014.
Michael Firrito
Arguably the club’s biggest rookie success, Michael “Spud” Firrito was taken with pick 10 in the 2002 Rookie Draft.
Firrito quickly became a fan favourite with his consistent performances, playing at least 16 games each year from 2004-2016. His high level of performances was recognised with selection in the 2008 International Rules Series squad.
After taking over club legend Glenn Archer’s number 11 guernsey in 2008, “Spud” would go on to record 275 appearances for North, placing him equal ninth on the all-time leaderboard.
