It’s a rare situation to see a preliminary final team with five selections in the first 30 but that’s what faced North in 2000.
The Syd Barker Medalist for the year, Peter Bell, had requested a return home to Western Australia, with North receiving Jess Sinclair, pick 6 and pick 8 in return.
Evan Hewitt had also departed for Adelaide looking for more opportunities, resulting in pick 23 (the same selection North used on Hewitt in 1996).
It was a season of heavy list turnover, perhaps influenced by two large finals defeats to Essendon and Melbourne. Matthew Capuano and Kent Kingsley found new homes at St Kilda and Geelong, while Robert Scott, Gary Dhurrkay and Craig Sholl retired. There were a further four delistings in Brad Stephens, Brett Chandler, Brady Anderson and Adam Hay.
It was the first time the club had two selections inside the top 10, so there was a big opportunity to fast track the redevelopment of the list. Before North took its first pick, St Kilda acquired Nick Riewoldt and Justin Koschitzke with one and two; a key position duo which played a combined 450+ games.
With Pick 6, the Kangaroos selected Dylan Smith from the Sandringham Dragons. A star junior, the 175cm midfielder had won the 1999 TAC Medal for best afield in the Grand Final.
Drafted as a Bell replacement (who also stood 175cm and played in the centre), Smith was unable to forge a lasting career at Arden Street and played only 11 games in three seasons before being delisted. Coincidentally he also went from North to Fremantle, spending 2004-2005 at the Dockers and made 10 further appearances.
After Adelaide selected Lawrence Angwin with Pick 7, North was back on the clock and opted for Daniel Motlop. The younger brother of Shannon, Daniel was a player who could make the impossible look easy, but also suffered through long stretches of quiet play.
Motlop only played 47 games for the royal blue and white before requesting a trade back to South Australia to be closer to family. As it turned out, he was one step of the process which eventually ended up brining Andrew Swallow to North in 2005.
[RELATED: Peter Bell = Andrew Swallow]
There wasn’t much time for the North recruiting staff to take a breath after selecting Motlop, because it had another choice to make at Pick 14. Opting for a second midfielder, Daniel Harris was selected from Bendigo.
Another star junior, Harris captained Vic Country at the 2000 Under 18 National Championships and starred for the Pioneers in the TAC Cup. He ended up becoming a much-loved figure amongst fans during his 149-game, nine season career at the Kangaroos.
What would turn out to be the club’s best selection of the draft was next up at pick 23; a raw key position prospect from Ballarat by the name of Drew Petrie.
Although he had family ties to Essendon, with his uncle Ron Andrews having played 151 games for the Bombers, they were immediately discarded on draft night. The 197cm youngster had earned a spot in the 2000 TAC Cup team of the year with his performances for the North Ballarat Rebels.
Now an irreplaceable part of North and its vice-captain, Petrie will finish his career as a one-club player and inside the top 10 for games played and goals kicked.
From a young key position player to one with prior AFL experience – the Kangaroos selected former Magpie Saverio Rocca with pick 30.
A surprising delisting from Collingwood, Rocca was still only 26 and had kicked 514 goals in his 156 games. Speaking years later, he reflected on the sudden change of scenery.
“It was devastating…it just felt like the heart was ripped out of me,” Rocca told Mike Sheahan in 2011.
“Hurt? Absolutely. But, I’m lucky enough to have played at two clubs and North Melbourne had great spirit, and it just felt like I had walked into the local football club. It was awesome.
“My heart’s with both clubs.”
Daniel Pratt was selected with pick 42, and wouldn’t play a game for the Kangaroos this time around. After two years he was delisted and then rookied by Brisbane for 2003. Two more years at the Lions resulted in three games and he was drafted for a second stint at North.
From 2005 to 2011 Pratt became an important part of the defensive unit, playing 116 games and finishing third in the 2007 Syd Barker Medal.
With its seventh and final selection, North acquired Corey Jones from Sturt in South Australia.
Originally from Wycheproof in Victoria, Jones spent the 2000 season in the SANFL and impressed playing largely as a half forward.
It was in a similar position where Jones played his best football for North. Over the course of his 10 year career, the left footer played 157 games and kicked 216 goals.
His best season was in 2007, where he was the main forward in an unlikely charge to a preliminary final. He led the club’s goal kicking with 46, including a seven goal haul against Hawthorn.
Pick | Player | Recruited from | Games for North |
6 | Dylan Smith | Sandringham U18 | 11 |
8 | Daniel Motlop | North Adelaide, SA | 47 |
14 | Daniel Harris | Bendigo U18, VIC | 149 |
23 | Drew Petrie* | North Ballarat, VIC | 269* |
30 | Saverio Rocca | Collingwood, VIC | 101 |
42 | Daniel Pratt | Northern Eagles | 119 |
60 | Corey Jones | Sturt, SA | 157 |
Rookie elevation | Ryan Pagan |
| 3 |
