North Melbourne's new head of player personnel Scott Clayton says a NAB AFL Draft model of two rounds would be suitable given the likely list cuts for clubs this season.
And the veteran recruiter believes if the AFL season isn't able to be completed due to the spread of coronavirus then the draft order should be based off the 2019 ladder.
AFL chief executive Gill McLachlan has all but locked in a draft taking place in some form this year, with calls to lift the draft age to again be ignored.
Clayton, who crossed to the Roos in the off-season after a long recruiting history with Gold Coast, Brisbane, the Western Bulldogs and most recently West Coast, said if playing lists are cut then a condensed draft this season would be suitable.
"I think list sizes and draft numbers are going to be inextricably linked. It seems likely that list sizes will come down a little bit and then I think that draft numbers will be down," Clayton told the Road to the Draft podcast.
"If that's say, for an example, 40 picks, or two rounds, then I think that would be a terrific result."
The Kangaroos are heavily invested in this year's draft, having two first-round picks after securing Melbourne's first-round selection in last year's trade period.
The Roos' last top-10 selection was Tarryn Thomas (No.8 overall) in 2018.
The club has sought clarification from the AFL around that its position on future picks, and Clayton said if not enough games are played to finish the home and away season then the draft order should revert to last year's.
"We've asked the question [about future picks] but we're letting things settle. A lot of these decisions are intertwined and one affects the other. It's our view that the draft must go ahead without question," he said.
"The order of that draft is obvious if we get a whole season in and a premier and 17 rounds. Clearly that's the ideal scenario, and I think our club's view is if that doesn't happen, the only thing you can do is go back to the ladder positions from last year.
"The only certainty is we had a ladder at the end of 2019 and it's there.
"That's what we future traded off and if the season's complete now then that's the order, but trying to forecast anything or a lottery [to decide picks] I don't think is ideal."
Despite recruiting and list management teams being stood down around the competition during the AFL's break, and the possibility of not seeing much of the under-18 prospects this season, Clayton is bullish about the crop.
"I really like it. I'm excited. The more vision I watch, I am really excited. I'm never one to talk down a draft pool, [because] beauty's in the eye of the beholder, but I can certainly see good and future development potential in a lot. We'd be pretty excited to get to the draft," he said.
Listen to the AFL.com.au podcast below.
Episode guide
0:40 – An update on how the North Melbourne recruiting and list management team is spending the shutdown period
1:50 – How Clayton has settled into the new role at the Kangaroos
3:30 – Why North Melbourne is adamant this year's draft should go ahead even if there are no more under-18s games played
4:00 – What happens with the Roos' future pick they traded in last year?
4:40 – Why having a draft of only two rounds this year would be a "terrific result"
5:40 – How the draft order should be settled if an AFL season isn't completed
7:15 – The "annoying" and "frustrating" draft age debate
11:00 – An update on Ben Brown's contract negotiations
12:15 – Where Clayton sees the list and how far off it is from challenging
13:10 – Why bolstering defence and finding a small forward are priorities for the Roos
14:50 – The veteran recruiter chats about his favourite ever draft selection
