Mark Robinson: Who are North Melbourne’s untouchables as list overhaul beckons?
North Melbourne is set to cut a knife through its list of 23 players coming out of contract as it embarks on a major overhaul of its list. There are, however, a number of untouchables the club won’t want to depart.
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North Melbourne says its first-round picks in this year’s national draft are “untouchable’’ as it prepares to embark on a major overhaul of its playing list.
The Kangas have 23 players out of contact at the end of the season and it’s possible as many as 12 of them will not be at the club next year.
Head of football Brady Rawlings stressed contracted veterans Ben Cunnington, Jack Ziebell, Todd Goldstein and Shaun Higgins would not be put for trade.
He refused to speculate on the future of key forward Ben Brown, who is among the 23 out of contract players.
Staring at one of the club’s worst seasons, the club’s plan is to address the list over the next two drafts, and trade and free agency periods.
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Asked if a brutal list cull was coming, Rawlings told the Herald Sun: “There are big decisions to be made … It will be thorough.
“Clearly, we’re not throwing everyone out, but we’ve got to look at players who are going to help us in the future.
“We’ve made the call that, and we know they’ve given their all for this club, but if we don’t see them helping us in the future, then that’s what the decision will be, they won’ be here.”
How many players will be let go depends on the size of next year’s playing lists — the AFL yesterday said an announcement was still several weeks away.
Former Kangaroo Rawlings was appointed late last year and oversees a new list management group headed by veteran recruiter Scott Clayton, list manager Glenn Luff and recruiter Mark Finnigan.
“When I took this job last year, we knew we had a bit of work ahead of us,’’ Rawlings said.
“There’s going to be short-term pain to get to where we want to get to.
“We think we’ve got a good group of 22 and unders and we want to add to that.
“Clearly, the draft this year is massive for us, we want to get in young elite talent.
“We got two first rounders (North’s own and Melbourne’s) and got Essendon’s second rounder and it put us in a good position to net some quality.
“Those two first rounders are untouchable … we’re picking the best kids possible.
“But we can’t be bringing in 12 18-year-olds.
“We have to make sure there’s experience around the 22 and unders.”
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The core young group includes Curtis Taylor, Kyron Hayden, Jed Anderson, Tristan Xerri, Bailey Scott, Tarryn Thomas, Bailey Scott, Cam Zurhaar, Aiden Bonar, Luke Davies-Uniacke, Ben McKay, Jack Mahony, and untried Flynn Perez.
Decisions will be made, if they haven’t already, on Brown, Jasper Pittard, Mason Wood, Jamie Macmillan, Majak Daw, Taylor Garner, Mason Wood, Ben Jacobs, Marley Williams, Paul Ahern, Ed Vickers-Willis and Sam Durdin.
Players in contract, such as Aaron Hall and the injured Dom Tyson, could remain on the list because of their contract status.
“I will not individualise but clearly with the guys out of contract, discussions have to be had,” Rawlings said.
“I know what this club stands for and I know what our members and supporters expect from our players when they cross the line, and it’s competitors who give their all and a never-say-die attitude.
“And players who have got that are players we can’t afford to lose.
“Players who don’t have that attitude find themselves in a position where they might not be here next year. It’s as simple as that.”
He said Goldstein and Higgins, who could be trade value, were not on the trade table.
“We locked away Shaun and Todd last year, and we’ve got to make sure we have enough experience around the youth a well,’’ Rawlings said.
“We certainly won’t be offering them up for trade, no.’’
He believed the club’s plans didn’t amount to a “total rebuild’’.
“This a really big period for us,’’ he said.
“We don’t think we’re in a position where it’s a total rebuild which others have alluded to.’’
Under coach Rhyce Shaw, the Kangaroos have slumped to 17th on the ladder with a 3-11 win-loss record.
“We don’t think the results this year are a true reflection of our list, we know we need to get better but we think we have enough players there to bounce back.
“There’s going to be a lot of change and we need to get better players into our club. That’s not to say we haven’t got good players already, we just need to add to this young group.
“I said from the first day I walked in, we need to increase talent and we will be doing that in every way possible, through draft, trade and free agency.”
Originally published as Mark Robinson: Who are North Melbourne’s untouchables as list overhaul beckons?