AFL 2021 off-season: Club list moves and news ahead of the draft

One of North Melbourne’s highest-priced recruits of the past decade will be offered one last chance to save his career after being delisted.

North Melbourne continues to make ruthless list calls as part of its rebuild under David Noble, announcing on Friday it would rookie list high profile recruit Jared Polec.

The Kangaroos lured Polec across from Port Adelaide in 2019 on a lucrative five-year, $3.5 million contract.

He finished seventh in the club best and fairest in his first year but fell out of favour with coach Rhyce Shaw in 2020.

He played just five games this year after being hampered by hamstring issues.

North Melbourne said the club would delist Polec on Friday but had guaranteed the winger a spot in the coming rookie draft.

“Jared’s cooperation with this list option has been appreciated and will not affect his opportunities at AFL level in any way,” North Melbourne footy boss Brady Rawlings said.

The decision means North Melbourne can take six players in next month’s national draft at picks 1, 20, 42, 47, 72 and 77.

“All our picks from 42 onwards will come in significantly as other clubs use earlier selections to bid on father-son and Next Generation Academy players,” Rawlings said.

“We’ve obviously got a couple of premium selections at the top end of the draft, but having more picks after that provides a great opportunity to bring in some talented players who lacked exposure over the past two COVID-affected seasons.

“Once we get past the national draft, we’ll call Jared’s name out in the rookie draft.”

Jared Polec has been rookie listed

VOTE: DOES MAGPIES LIFELINE WITH BIG MOVER WORK?

There will be at least one more sequel in Mason Cox’s American Pie story.

Collingwood has re-signed the 211cm forward-ruckman for the 2022 season after he was forced to wait through the trade period and beyond to discover his playing fate.

Fremantle was one club that considered making a play for him after Rory Lobb indicated his desire to return to the Giants but neither scenario eventuated.

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The Magpies are embracing youth under new coach Craig McRae but ruckman Max Lynch’s trade to Hawthorn left them thin on big man depth.

Cox, who turns 30 in March next year, played only seven of his 76 matches this past season because of a mixture of form and injury.

Mason Cox has signed a new one-year deal at Collingwood.

He kicked two goals in each of the first three rounds this year but soon found himself out of the senior side.

Darcy Cameron overtook Cox as Brodie Grundy’s ruck deputy and kicked 22 goals in 18 games, so he faces a battle to win back his spot, particularly with Nathan Kreuger arriving from Geelong.

“We are pleased to be in a position to retain Mason for another season,” Collingwood’s head of football Graham Wright said.

“We know Mason can play a number of roles for us. Players capable in the ruck and up forward offer great versatility to a team. We believe he has a lot to offer our group.”

Cox was one of the Pies’ heroes in their titanic 2018 preliminary final upset of Richmond with a brilliant three-goal first-half that triggered international headlines.

Mason Cox’s versatility was a key element in him staying at the Holden Centre.

The injury blow that will change your SuperCoach plans

Fremantle star Nat Fyfe’s start to the pre-season will be delayed after undergoing more shoulder surgery due to complications from his reconstruction.

The dual Brownlow medallist went under the knife again on Tuesday after his recovery from his right shoulder reconstruction in July has “plateaued”.

Fremantle executive general manager of football Peter Bell said Fyfe was sent for a scan, which had revealed a bone crack which required follow-up surgery.

The surgery means Fyfe will not be able to return for pre-season training on December 6 as was originally planned. The news is a red flag for KFC SuperCoach players looking to start the high-scoring Docker, who could earn MID/FWD status in 2022.

“Nat’s recovery from his initial shoulder reconstruction surgery had plateaued and, as a result of that, we sent him for a scan which indicated that there was a small crack in the bone block that forms the basis of these types of surgery,” Bell said.

“We all know how diligent Nat is and he was complying with his program very well, however these bone block fractures are known complications of this type of surgery.

Nat Fyfe will have a delayed start to the pre-season. Picture: Getty Images

“As a result, Nat has undergone a revision of the surgery.

“Whilst it is disappointing, we know that he will be incredibly diligent in his recovery and a return to training date will be advised in due course.”

Fyfe, 30, played 15 games for the Dockers in 2021 before his season came to an early end after Round 19 after he experienced multiple dislocations of the shoulder joint.

FEELING FIONN: HAWKS ADD TO IRISH EXPERIMENT

Marc McGowan

Hawthorn will have another Irishman on its list next season.

The Hawks have finally signed Fionn O’Hara to a two-year international category B rookie deal after an extended pursuit of the rugby and Gaelic football prospect.

He represented Ireland and his province, Leinster, in rugby at under-18 level and was man of the match in a winning All-Ireland schoolboys’ Gaelic football final with Coláiste Mhuire.

News Corp Australia reported this month the club’s renewed interest in O’Hara, who flew out to Melbourne with his family in early 2020 to visit Hawthorn.

The 19-year-old from County Westmeath joins countryman Conor Nash at the Hawks, after another Irishman, Conor Glass, played 21 games for them between 2017 and last year.

O’Hara stands 186cm and weighs 81kg, with Hawthorn list boss Mark McKenzie impressed with his skills and combination of elite speed and endurance.

He was a fly-half in rugby, so was responsible for kicking his team’s conversion points after tries.

“We’re rapt to be able to bring Fionn on board after having our eye on him for three years,” McKenzie said.

“We’ve found him to be a really high-level character with a great work ethic and a real understanding of professionalism, having had that experience in those elite pathways.

“He has worked hard already to hone his AFL skills, so he’s already developed some strong kicking skills, coupled with being a good decision-maker with ball in hand as well.”

Originally published as AFL 2021 off-season: Club list moves and news ahead of the draft