North Melbourne has selected Tasmanian Geordie Payne with pick No.1 in the 2024 AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft.

Payne has the versatility to play in defence, midfield and recently as a crumbing forward, and averaged 22 disposals and 5.8 tackles and kicked 12 goals across his five Coates Talent League games for the Tasmania Devils this season.

The 18-year-old from Burnie on Tasmania’s northwest coast also claimed the Devils’ best and fairest last year while playing alongside fellow Tasmanian product turned Roo Colby McKercher.

Payne's opportunity at Arden Street comes after he narrowly missed out on selection in the 2023 AFL Draft.

"Geordie has been playing his footy with the Devils in the under-18 competition, he came back as an over-ager after narrowly missing the Draft last year," national recruiting and retention manager Will Thursfield said.

"He played the whole year (2023) down back but this year he’s gone and played forward with little bits of midfield and has really had a good five or six weeks to start the year off.

"What we like about him is he impacts in all areas of the game.

"He's good in the air, he's slippery on the ground with good agility and what we like most about him is his defensive intent, he really hunts the opposition, tackles, he's an in-your-face type of player."