AFL Draft 2023: Rival clubs aren’t happy the league could allow North Melbourne to land top prospect Ryley Sanders for nothing

North Melbourne have been plotting to have priority access to potential top 5 pick Ryley Sanders for nothing, but other clubs won’t go quietly - taking their complaints to the AFL.

Clubs have vented their frustrations with the AFL over North Melbourne’s plot to pick-up outstanding draft prospect Ryley Sanders for nothing.

The Kangaroos are eyeing the jet midfielder as a pre-selection as part of the special assistance package from league headquarters to help boost the team out of the doldrums.

But the Kangaroos confirmed they would also focus on tall talent in this year’s draft, following the likely departure of Ben McKay to help bolster the back half with West Australian top-five prospect Daniel Curtin likely to come into calculations.

Clubs have registered their anger with league chiefs, adamant Sanders – who is considered a top-10 talent – should be available to all clubs in the first round of the national draft.

Sanders has a link to North Melbourne through its next generation academy as the star ballwinner has Indigenous heritage.

Under AFL rules, players such as Sanders can be taken by any club which selects them in the top-40, but the league may make Sanders off-limits to rival clubs as part of a free hit to North.

Ryley Sanders is a top-10 prospect in this year’s AFL Draft. Picture: Graham Denholm/AFL Photos

The suggestion has caused uproar among clubs who are adamant the move is over-the-top for a club which already has a handful of top-end young midfielders including George Wardlaw, Harry Sheezel, Will Phillips and Luke Davies-Uniacke.

“The integrity of the whole competition is at stake when you talk about a club getting one of the top-six players in the draft for nothing,” a recruiting manager said.

“Ryley Sanders was the best player at the national championships and should be available to all clubs if he is picked inside the top-40, as per the AFL rules.

“How can the AFL hand North Melbourne one of the country’s best underage prospects for free when it directly contravenes their own NGA rules?”

North Melbourne is also set to receive a free agency compensation pick for the departure of fullback McKay who the Herald Sun last month revealed was being targeted by Essendon.

But the league has assured clubs in the past 24 hours it would not fudge the compensation formula to deliver pick three to the Roos if McKay’s new salary did not meet the band one requirements.

The compensation is based on salary, age and length of new deal at his new club.

But the recruiter said the Sanders preselection suggestion had raised the ire of clubs across the competition, despite the Roos’ lowly position.

Brett Ratten and Alastair Clarkson’s men have won only 11 games in the past four seasons under former coaches David Noble and Rhyce Shaw.

Sanders could end up at North Melbourne for nothing. Picture: Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos

“Regardless of any other unrelated free agency compensation picks, it would be incredibly unfair on 17 other clubs if North were handed Sanders as a preselection,” the scout said.

“Clubs have spoken to the AFL about the reports, and it would strike at the heart of the integrity of the competition if they are given another star midfielder considering the talent already on the list and their upcoming picks this year.

“If there needs to be assistance, there are other ways to help, without interfering with the top few picks in the draft.

“Otherwise, we are basically going back to the days of the old priority pick system at the top of the order.

“Sanders is that good.

“The kid should be available to every club if he is picked inside the top-40, as per the league’s own rules. Otherwise, the AFL is making it up as they go along.”

Currently North Melbourne have pick two and could be delivered pick three if McKay’s salary tops $800,000. A lesser salary of about $650,000 would net North end of first-round compensation.

Along with Sanders, the club’s recruiting boss Brady Rawlings admitted the Roos were keen to bolster their key position stocks as well.

“We certainly need to look at that key defensive position,” Rawlings said on a club video.

“We are well aware we haven’t picked very tall over recent seasons.”