JESSE Smith is off limits.
That's the blunt message from North Melbourne coach Dean Laidley in the wake of a newspaper article that said Hawthorn – where Smith's dad Ross works as an assistant coach – was hunting the 21-year-old.
Smith was taken at 42 in the 2004 draft, courtesy of the father-son rule, although his real market value was seen as a top-10 pick.
He played 21 matches last season, but has only played 29 games over his four-year career.
Laidley said on Thursday that the talented defender wasn't going anywhere.
"I'm sure if you asked 15 other clubs that they'd have an interest in Jesse Smith," he said.
"What I was staggered about was that the article said that he was uncontracted, which is completely untrue.
"He's contracted until the end of next year, so Jesse Smith won't be going anywhere."
Laidley's contract has also been under discussion in recent times, with CEO Eugene Arocca saying the 41-year-old's deal should be extended by a year from its current end date of 2009.
But Laidley said the focus for now had to be on getting to, and then winning, finals.
"Look, I haven't spoken to the club, they haven't spoken to me, I haven't spoken to Ricky (Nixon, Laidley's manager).
"I just think it's important for everyone at the footy club to focus in on what we're doing now.
"If we can complete our task this weekend, we play in a finals' series, and I think right now that's what the coaches and the players should be focusing on."
Laidley said the raising of the issue with just three weeks of the home-and-away season to go wasn't a problem.
"Look, he was asked a question, and I think we've been pretty open and honest they way we've handled ourselves in the media this year, and that's what he said.
"I'm sure that things will or won't get sorted out, but my main concern is winning games of footy right now."
