Flynn Perez did enough before his ACL setback last year to impress the Roos' recruiting team.
Perez – who sat out his entire draft year recovering from his left knee injury – was North's third and final selection on Thursday, rounding out an action-packed night for the club.
The Kangaroos had already traded their top-10 selection to Melbourne to bolster their 2020 draft hand, so their first activity was placing a bid on Hawthorn father-son prospect Finn Maginness.
That preceded a pick swap with Essendon where North Melbourne sent Nos.30 and 50 to the Bombers for pick 35 and a future second-round selection.
Raw forward-ruck Charlie Comben finally became the Roos' first selection at 31, before diminutive midfielder-forward Jack Mahony joined the blue and white three picks later.
However, it was Perez who was the most intriguing of the trio, given not only his serious injury but his extensive soccer background.
A simple change of direction in a Victoria Country camp last December was the catalyst for the ACL tear – and left him initially fearing his draft hopes were dashed.
North recruiter Trent Moseby was among those to reassure Perez post-injury with a simple but fateful message: "You're not going to be forgotten."
"Emotionally, it's pretty tough at the start. As a 17-year-old, you think the worst – that's your draft chances done," Perez said.
"But I had a few good people in my corner and a few recruiters reach out to me to reassure me I wouldn't be forgotten, without guaranteeing anything.
"That just gave me the drive to put my head down and do my rehab as well as possible."
The Kangaroos' national recruiting manager Mark Finnigan had "high hopes" for Perez after watching him shine for Team Bartel in last year's NAB AFL All-Stars Futures game on the MCG.
Memories of that performance and his earlier efforts in defence and occasionally through the midfield for the Bendigo Pioneers ensured he remained in North's thoughts.
Perez in action during the 2018 NAB AFL All-Stars Futures game in 2018. Picture: AFL Photos
Yet only a few years earlier Perez had a whole different sporting dream with the round ball.
He captained the Victorian under-12 schoolboys' soccer team – playing as a centre-back or attacking midfielder – and made the round trip from Bendigo to Melbourne three times a week from age 12.
Then something changed for Perez that led to him eventually heading to Arden Street.
"At an early age with soccer it was very serious," he said.
"I think it just took its toll, and footy just gave me a lot more enjoyment than soccer did at that stage. That's what made me choose footy in the end.
"Soccer was probably my main priority up until under-15s and then I just fell in love with footy. The team-oriented side of footy got me … and I'm very happy with the outcome."
Perez is close to resuming contact work and should be in full training after the Christmas break.
