North Melbourne ruckman Todd Goldstein won’t play in club’s next flag, so Kangas can cash in

TODD Goldstein probably won’t be at North Melbourne for its next flag. So shouldn’t the Roos cash in now? JON RALPH on a potential trade and who might suit.

Todd Goldstein ... time to move on? Picture: AAP

TODD Goldstein turns 29 on Saturday, the same day his 17th-placed Kangaroos tackle Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium.

In an ideal world a ruckman at his peak like Goldstein would be vying for a premiership with an array of midfield stars around him.

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Whatever your views of North Melbourne, they sure aren’t in the premiership window.

It’s hard to argue he will still be there when they again challenge for the flag.

So the question for any smart list management group isn’t how much we love Todd, a resilient and durable All Australian ruckman.

It is: What could we get for him at the end of the season to hasten that surge back up the ladder?

To put it bluntly, Goldstein has the one thing North Melbourne’s list management group ain’t got much of — trade currency.

If they could get a late first-round or early second-round pick for him how could they not consider it?

Especially if it helped them secure the next Jy Simpkin or played part of a deal for Josh Kelly or a player of his calibre.

Especially with Braydon Preuss, the gleaming new model in the showroom, picking up admirers by the day.

Braydon Preuss looks a long-term prospect at the Kangaroos. Picture: Getty Images

The Roos’ recruitment of Preuss was an inspired bit of talent-spotting, securing him from under the nose of Gold Coast then signing him until 2018.

Preuss might have some rough edges, but it’s hard to argue with the VFL numbers of the 22-year-old emerging prospect.

Fresh off a 63-hitout, 18-possession game on the weekend, he ranks elite in rankings points (113), disposals (14), contested possessions (8.4), clearances (3.9) and hit-out-to advantage percentage.

If you think selling off the farm as soon as it’s overpriced is brutal, it’s just the new world order.

Just like St Kilda allowing Nick Dal Santo and Brendon Goddard to leave and Richmond helping orchestrate a Brett Deledio trade.

It’s not about emotion, especially not for a Roos list management group which lethally moved on four elders including three favourite sons.

It’s not a seller’s market for ruckman, with maybe only Geelong and the Bulldogs sides which would consider a 29-year-old elite ruckman.

For all the criticism of Goldstein this year — Jon Brown called for him to play VFL this week on Monday — he is still playing handy football.

Not All-Australian football but he has kicked an elite 10 goals, and averages 98 rankings points and 14.3 possessions.

In other words, he is still playing well enough for a rival to consider him.

Imagine him in Geelong alongside Joel Selwood or Patrick Dangerfield at a club that with Gary Ablett could go all-out for a tilt at a fifth flag since 2007.

They have two second-round picks and two hot-and-cold ruckmen in Zac Smith and Rhys Stanley.

Or the Bulldogs, which plays an array of ruckmen including Tom Campbell, Tom Boyd, Tim English, Lin Jong, Jordan Roughead and Josh Dunkley.

North Melbourne has a handy middle core of stars and a heap of kids only just being given games but not enough A grade talent.

It has successfully mined the free agency route but the Roos have to be brave or the rebuild will stretch out for years to come.

Todd Goldstein is still playing good footy. Picture: Getty Images

TRADING STARS WHEN THEY STILL HAVE CURRENCY

Brendon Goddard (St Kilda)

The Saints lowballed Goddard so he left at 27 for Essendon, with St Kilda getting pick 13 as compo.

Goddard has played 95 generally excellent games but the Saints traded 13, 36 and 55 for Tom Hickey, pick 25 and 46.

Spencer White was pick 25 and they used pick 46 to acquire Trent Dennis-Lane.

Nick Dal Santo (St Kilda)

Left for North Melbourne at 29 for no. 25 compensation pick.

Saints traded 25 and 41 for Billy Longer and pick 48, which became Josh Bruce, still only 25.

Dal Santo played 52 games at North.

Brendon Goddard and Nick Dal Santo departed the Saints. Picture: Getty Images

Brett Deledio (Richmond)

Richmond was happy to trade 29-year-old Deledio to GWS for a first-round pick and third-round picks in 2017.

Deledio hasn’t played yet and right now Richmond has pick 16 (the pick is tied to Geelong’s ladder position) and 54.

Zach Tuohy (Carlton)

Carlton traded 26-year-old Tuohy and its 2017 second round pick (now 21) for Geelong’s 2017 first-rounder (now pick 16), pick 63 and Billie Smedts.

Then it traded that Geelong first-rounder for Caleb Marchbank, Jarrod Pickett and a GWS second-rounder, which it on-traded for three late picks.

Those three picks became Harrison Macreadie (47), Tom Williamson (61) and Patrick Kerr (65). The Tuohy steak-knives pick (63) became Cam Poulson.