North Melbourne will keep an “open mind” with its draft hand, as it looks to bolster its young talent in the coming years.
Currently holding two selections inside the top 11 for next month’s NAB AFL Draft, the Roos could be open to offers from other clubs for their prized second pick.
“It wouldn’t be beyond the realms (of possibility),” Head of Player Personnel Scott Clayton told SEN Breakfast.
“We’ve got a very open mind in regards to what’s best for us and we’re looking at this draft and next year. Our major platform for the next two years is that.
“We are looking at all options and we have been from day one. We did attempt to look at that during this period and tried to get the Western Bulldogs’ first rounder and many things we planned and had a go at, some worked, some don’t.
“We have got an open mind and we’ll discount nothing.”
Clayton said a unique year provided opportunity to land talent like never before.
Victorian draft hopefuls haven’t been able to take the field for much of the year, meaning there’ll be plenty of focus on nabbing a potential bargain during subsequent recruitment periods.
“That’s why there’s talk, there will be the Supplemental Selection Period in the pre-season, and there is talk of a mid-season draft, which we’re very supportive of,” Clayton said.
“It could be the best mid-season draft of all-time given there’s half a state we haven’t seen and you wonder where they get to.”
North parted ways with 11 players in September, preparing itself for a likely reduction in list numbers.
“That was in our thinking when planning for our numbers. We want to be in all those opportunities, so once we knew list sizes were coming down, we knew there might be opportunity pre-season and mid-season to add to our list and accordingly we made the call on our numbers,” Clayton explained.