The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs.

They are the two years that could change it all for North Melbourne.

A list bereft of top-liners – outside of Robbie Tarrant, Ben Brown, Shaun Higgins, Ben Cunnington and maybe Jack Ziebell – has a chance to change the external opinions that matter. 

Greater Western Sydney midfield jet Josh Kelly, whose father, Phil, played 61 games for North in the 1980s, is waiting tantalisingly at the end of 2019.

The 2017 All Australian effectively hedged his bets when he re-signed for only two seasons at the Giants, knocking back the Kangas' audacious $10 million, nine-year offer.

Publicly, at least, Kelly's contract timeframe was translated as: "You tempted me, North, but I'll try to win a flag with GWS while you get your house in order. Don't lose my number."

It was impossible for the young star to ignore that the Roos have won just eight of their past 34 contests and are in full-blown rebuilding mode.

Kelly has already plumbed those depths in the Giants' formative years, so experiencing that again before the GWS pay-off arrives would have been a big call.

The two-year cleanout: 10 players and 2382 games 

*Age and games at time of exit

Everywhere you look, the forecast for Arden St is cloudy with a chance of freefall. But is the outlook really that bad?

North's lack of elite talent is a byproduct of being competitive for so long and not having a top-five pick since Cunnington in 2009. That is about to change.

The Roos secured a good one in Jy Simpkin at No.12 last year, have pick four in next Friday's draft and will almost certainly be in that territory again in 2018.

Then there's Shaun Burgoyne clone Tarryn Thomas, an indigenous utility linked to North through its Next Generation Academy and who is draftable next year.

Thomas could be the cherry on top of another early draft choice.

The Roos already made moves to bolster their 2018 draft points with Thomas and possible father-son recruits Nick Blakey (son of John), Bailey Scott (Robert) and Joel Crocker (Darren) in mind.

A pitch will be required for Sydney-based Blakey, who is in the Swans' academy, and Gold Coast academy prospect Scott.

That Blakey can also nominate the Lions (John played 135 games for Fitzroy) and Scott Geelong (Robert played 132 matches for the Cats) only adds to the task confronting North.

Part of that bid could depend on how the Roos perform next year, but not necessarily gauged purely on wins and losses.

Injury ravaged pair Sam Wright and Ben Jacobs, both best-22 material, are virtual recruits if they can return to the senior side for the first time since 2016.

Todd Goldstein being more like his 2015 All Australian self would be handy, too.

What North has over, say, Carlton is a stronger crop in the 23-29 age bracket, which lends itself to a quicker rebound, albeit still needing a lick of promising youth to take it over the edge.

Scott Thompson and Jarrad Waite are entering possibly their last AFL season and have a mentoring role to play at either end of the ground for the Roos' developing key-position talents.

But how good Luke McDonald, Mason Wood, Taylor Garner, Simpkin, Trent Dumont, Paul Ahern and co become could decide how willing Kelly is to wear blue-and-white. The same goes for Blakey and Scott.

Pre-season has started and the clock is ticking.