By Jake Niall, Andrew Wu and Jon Pierik
North Melbourne have lost three members of their recruiting and list management team, including two senior figures, days before the mid-season draft.
National recruiting manager Mark Finnigan has left the Kangaroos to take up a similar position at Hawthorn, while list manager Glenn Luff has quit, in what industry sources confirmed was very much Luff’s decision.
A third full-time recruiter, Ben Birthisel resigned from the club earlier than the senior pair, taking up a more senior role outside of football, in the recruitment industry. Birthisel had started at North part-time close to a decade ago.
North Melbourne has lost three recruiters ahead of the mid-season draft next week. Credit: Getty Images
Club sources insisted that Birthisel's exit was not connected to that of Finnigan and Luff, both of whom had seen a dramatic turnover of senior football figures and instability during the past three years at the club, which has had three coaches - Brad Scott, Rhyce Shaw and David Noble - along with changes in football department heads.
Cameron Joyce was replaced by former Kangaroo player and West Coast list manager Brady Rawlings and then Rawlings’ role was effectively split with Daniel McPherson, who was appointed in December to the new role of head of football performance.
The departures before the mid-year draft - in which North will have two picks, potentially including the first pick - will see Rawlings and veteran recruiter Scott Clayton take on the whole recruiting and list management portfolio.
Club sources said the Roos already had done considerable planning for the mid-season draft and were well-prepared for their selections.
The departures come with last year’s wooden spoon recipient facing a bottom four finish for the third season in a row and a probable bottom two finish, placing enormous pressure on senior coach Noble in just his second season at the helm.
Under pressure: Roos coach David Noble. Credit: Getty Images
The exits also follow media criticism and scrutiny of North’s recruiting and list management calls, which have followed a massive overhaul of the playing list and the dropping of young pair and key signings Jaidyn Stephenson and Callum Coleman-Jones last week. The club also has copped flak for overlooking Logan McDonald, a key forward now at Sydney, in the 2020 national draft.
Will Phillips, North’s top pick (No.3) in that 2020 draft, is yet to play this season due to illness after managing 16 games last year.
“Mark and Glenn have both been valued contributors to the North Melbourne Football Club, and we wish them the very best in their future endeavours,” Rawlings said in a statement.
“Mark and Glenn have worked passionately and tirelessly for the club, and we thank them for their work.
“The team’s planning and preparation around the mid-season draft has been very thorough and will hold us in good stead as we look towards next week.
“We will begin the process of replacing the now vacant roles in our recruiting and list management team over the coming months.”
Based on current ladder positions, North holds pick two in next week’s mid-season draft, though, with only 2.1 per cent separating them and West Coast on the ladder, could still secure the first selection.
Meanwhile, North Melbourne has denied an SEN report that they had cautioned No.1 draft pick and boom recruit Jason Horne-Francis for not informing the club that he had flown home to Adelaide for Mother’s Day.
Horne-Francis, who had missed round nine with hamstring tightness, would have had three flights in four days by flying to Adelaide and then Melbourne. “I have got no idea about that mate, I don’t know where you have got that from,” Rawlings told 3AW.
But Rawlings added: “He certainly missed the game with hamstring tightness, that is true.” Horne-Francis has not signed a contract extension beyond 2023, but Rawlings said he was not concerned given the No.1 draft pick still had all of next season before he came out of contract.
“Well, none of our players have signed from that draft … I have seen it plenty of times from other clubs that they are in their second season now, and everyone signs,” Rawlings said.