Roos admit to Boak approach
North Melbourne coach Brad Scott confirms he and Andrew Swallow approached Port star Travis Boak
NORTH MELBOURNE coach Brad Scott has confirmed he and captain Andrew Swallow have made an approach to Port Adelaide star Travis Boak.
It is believed Scott and Swallow recently made a detailed submission to the 23-year-old and his manager Tom Petroro in Melbourne.
Controversy has surrounded the future of Boak, with Port Adelaide furious with public overtures made by Geelong coach Chris Scott and players Joel Selwood and James Bartel last weekend.
But it has emerged the Cats are not the only club to make an approach to Boak, with the Kangaroos eagre to secure the services of the 102-game midfielder.
In attendance at the meeting at a private residence in Melbourne was Scott, Swallow, Boak, Petroro and North Melbourne Director of Player Services and Medical Pathways Steve Saunders.
North Melbourne chairman James Brayshaw confirmed the meeting.
"As a club we consider Travis to be a Port Adelaide player, but if he chooses to come home, then I think you're spot on," Brayshaw said.
"As I understand, Travis and his manager, they only wanted to speak to two clubs, Geelong being one of them and North Melbourne being the other.
"My view is that interstate players, if they indicate that they are going to return home, then on behalf of your supporters and members, then you'd be negligent not to look at someone like Travis given all the credentials he has."
When asked if he thought the club could get the deal done, Brayshaw said he was confident.
"I would think so, absolutely ... I think there'd be plenty to pay for it (in compensation), I think Travis went at five or six in the draft himself and is an unbelievably good player," Brayshaw said.
"But the first thing that's got to happen is that he's got to decide that he's coming home."
Brayshaw said the club hadn't officially put an offer to Boak and his management.
"No not officially, I think it was more a case ... you sit down with someone and say: 'If you decide to come home, this is what we think it could look like'," Brayshaw said.