North Melbourne's new head of development Michael Barlow has spoken about why the role at Arden Street was an ideal fit for him.

Barlow has spent the past three years at the Werribee Tigers' helm in the VFL and recorded a 2023 Grand Final berth while winning the competition's Coach of the Year Award. But a return to AFL clubland beckoned for the former Fremantle and Gold Coast Suns midfielder.

Set to overlook the advancement of the Kangaroos' young talent for the season ahead, the 35-year-old said being able to operate his own scheme is what appealed to him the most.

"I've loved the last three years managing my own program, so actually overseeing the coaching side of things and the holistic part of the game style – offence, defence, stoppage, contest – working with leaders, working with staff and having a behind the scenes look at operations," he told Sarah Olle and Josh Gabelich on Trade Exchange.

"It was going to take something significant for me to step away from what I'm doing (at Werribee). The Werribee role wasn't a role that I was going to do to try and platform into something.

"I think, in time, being an assistant coach and overseeing a line will be important (for me) but now I get to go in and oversee all of that.

"An important part of the North Melbourne Football Club will be this development program and fast-tracking our players to propel us as quickly up the ladder as possible."

With one of the youngest lists in the AFL, Barlow will have plenty of emerging Roos to familiarise himself with upon his arrival and is excited to get started. 

"All of them, really," he said when asked about who he wants to get to know.

"I'm getting in there tomorrow to meet the staff and get a list of what (the program) looks like … I'm not completely across who qualifies to be in (the development space) but for a lot of clubs it’s players in years 1-3 or 1-4, so I know it's going to be a big chunk of the group.

"The names that clearly spring to mind are (Harry) Sheezel and (George) Wardlaw.

"I've already got some feedback on Harry Sheezel. He's won the best and fairest and the Rising Star, but apparently, he is just – to use a 'Ross Lyon-ism' – dog-hungry in his training and in driving standards.

"And George Wardlaw is one that I've watched from afar. He wears the black boots, looks a bit ungroomed, and just gets out there and plays, so there's a couple of top enders there that you look at and think that (North Melbourne) is a pretty exciting place to be.

"Also, that middle tier of guys that have probably moved out of the development phase … there's (Luke) Davies-Uniacke and (Jy) Simpkin who are still young men … so I won't be confined to just the younger players."