North Melbourne open to trading Shaun Higgins, Ben Brown but Jared Polec likely to stay
Veteran Kangaroos midfielder Shaun Higgins has opened up about a potential move to Geelong, saying his options are open as North looks to rebuild with a young list.
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Star midfielder Shaun Higgins has revealed he is open to a trade if it suits North Melbourne’s long-term future, admitting Geelong remains in the frame as a likely new home.
Higgins, 32, is away with his family at the moment, but will return to Melbourne in the next fortnight to finalise his future.
He almost joined the Cats late last year before opting to sign a two-year deal to stay at Arden Street, but as Herald Sun reported two weeks ago, he now looks almost certain to be on the move, given the Kangaroos’ plans for an extensive rebuild following its disastrous 2020 season.
He could be a possible replacement at the Cats in 2021 for Gary Ablett who is certain to retire.
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Asked if Geelong was a likely new home, Higgins told the TAB Virtual Spring Racing Launch on Tuesday: “There are a lot of rumors and comments about it, but they (the Cats) would be an option going forward ... clearly there was some speculation about it last year.”
Higgins hasn’t spoken to Kangaroos coach Rhyce Shaw or football boss Brady Rawlings since leaving the Queensland hub a fortnight ago.
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But he expects those conversations to intensify when he returns to Melbourne in the next few weeks, given North Melbourne’s list overhaul and future planning.
“At the moment ... all options are alive,” Higgins explained.
“Clearly, I am still a contracted player, so there is a possibility that I will continue there, but at the same time – and I said this last year when I was going through those negotiations and talks about moving teams – I will always put what was best for the club first.
“I did that last year and gave them the option that if it was best for me to move on – if we were going down that (rebuilding) path and that avenue of going with young guys, given my age – as much as I love the club and wanted to stay, I would be open to that.
“The conversations are exactly the same this year. They have been open and honest. I have had communication with Brady and Rhyce in the last couple of weeks while we were in the hub. The plan was to get away ... and spent some time outside the bubble.
“I haven’t had any communication with the club since we left two weeks ago, and I am due to pick that up in the coming week and then work out what those options are and what is best for both parties.”
Higgins has played six seasons with the Kangaroos - and won two best and fairests - since joining the club from the Western Bulldogs in 2015.
The Cats could use his silky skills and his mid and forward talents in the pursuit of a flag, as the Kangaroos know they won’t be contending for a premiership in the short-to-medium term.
Meanwhile, North Melbourne is prepared to trade Higgins to Geelong on compassionate grounds, but is happy to keep contracted midfielder Jared Polec.
The Roos have delisted 11 players and will trade star forward Ben Brown amid general confusion about how they will even recruit enough players for a full list in 2021.
But the club’s list management group is brimming with positivity about attacking a draft that is full of mystery given so few Under-18 games, likely to take five selections including two first-rounders.
The Roos are also open to securing three or four more mature-aged players from rival AFL lists, having already secured GWS free agent Aidan Corr.
Ruckman Todd Goldstein is determined to see out his contract, having rebuffed Geelong’s interest last season.
But as the Herald Sun revealed last month, the Cats will again come at Higgins after pushing hard for the silky wingman last year.
The former Geelong Falcons junior star also has interest from St Kilda and now lives in bayside suburb Hampton. He has been told to explore a trade by the Roos if it helps his family circumstances.
Moving back to Geelong makes more sense from a family perspective as he and his wife have twins on the way and his extended family would provide support if they moved back to the area he grew up in.
If the Kangaroos can trade him to Geelong and turn a player who will be 33 in March into a draft pick that could play 100 games it makes good business sense.
North Melbourne could be interested in draft picks or even players from Geelong’s list, with Charlie Constable and Lachie Fogarty among the players currently out of favour at the Cats.
Polec has had only extremely limited interest from one interstate club and despite an indifferent season where he was dropped is more likely to remain on the club’s list.
The Roos are aware of his deficiencies as a player but at his best he remains a hard-running precise-kicking wingman, albeit one with limited physicality.
Despite speculation of payouts the club will retain Aaron Hall and Dom Tyson, a fine character and strong inside midfielder whose run of calf strains has limited him to three games in two seasons at Arden St.
The Roos remain interested in Essendon’s Adam Saad, who is yet to decide if he will leave Essendon.
If the Roos can take five draft picks, Corr and secure a handful of rival players in trades with lists shrinking, they will be able to stock a list of 38 or 40.
The club has a group of senior stars including Goldstein, Ben Cunnington, Robbie Tarrant and Jack Ziebell. And while many clubs rebuild from ground zero, the Roos have a promising bunch of under-22 players including Tarryn Thomas, Nick Larkey, Jy Simpkin, Luke Davies-Uniacke, Curtis Taylor and Cam Zurhaar.
ROOS TO ROOS? NORTH SEEKS SAVIOUR
North Melbourne has reached out to Sydney Swans’ premiership coach Paul Roos about a mentoring role at the club next season.
The Kangaroos have overhauled their assistant coaching staff and have begun sounding out whether Roos would be interested in returning to club land to help guide senior coach Rhyce Shaw in 2021.
Roos is in Hawaii and is not expected to return home to Australia until early in the new year.
North Melbourne heavyweights are expected to revisit the conversation with Roos in coming weeks after poaching one of his former lieutenants and close friends John Blakey from Sydney Swans to add to Shaw’s assistant coaching panel.
Blakey will replace Jade Rawlings who the Herald Sun revealed had been sacked last week with two years remaining on his contract. Assistants Heath Scotland, Jarred Moore, Jared Rivers, Jason Lappin and Brendan Whitecross are also gone.
Roos, who took the Swans to the 2005 premiership and then led Melbourne out of the darkest chapter of the club’s history, would be able to help the inexperienced Shaw step through the on-field problems and team and list-building challenges North will face next year as the pressure mounts.
He could also help oversee the coaching, fitness and medical departments after a poor year with injury.
Star midfielders Jack Ziebell and Ben Cunnington both experienced recurring injuries this season, sidelining them for key periods of the season.
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North Melbourne will face an uphill battle next season as it looks to find as many as 14 new players to fill the list from the trade period and draft next month.
The Roos have already made 11 delistings and are considering trading senior stars Shaun Higgins, Jared Polec and Ben Brown.
Star ruckman Todd Goldstein has not made and moves or plans to switch clubs and is expected to stay at the club for next season.
Melbourne has shown interest in Polec and Brown, while Geelong leads the race for veteran Higgins.