Rating the young Kangaroos who will replace departing veterans

NORTH Melbourne will have four vacancies in its team next year after the departure of Brent Harvey and Co. Who will fill them? Sam Landsberger rates the Roos’ recruits

Ryan Clarke runs with the ball. Picture: Michael Klein

THE dusty birth certificates at North Melbourne have given rise to a running joke for years.

From dad’s army to the AFL retirement village, the Kangas have long been depicted as footy’s senior citizen.

And the numbers don’t do the Roos any favours.

North Melbourne and Fremantle were the only clubs to enter 2016 with an average age above 25 and the Kangaroos’ Round 1 average of 124.4 games had every club covered.

It’s no surprise. With outliers like Brent Harvey and Drew Petrie jumping up and down on one end of the scales, that’s what you get.

But when you peel back the wrinkly layer of coach Brad Scott’s list, the remains surprise.

The Kangas are youthful. In fact, their rigid draft strategy has seen the club increase its number of selections in the early rounds for several years.

Last year it was four players in the top 45. In 2014 it was three in the first 30 and in 2013 North went bang, bang, bang with Luke McDonald, Trent Dumont and Ben Brown.

The cream from other clubs — Shaun Higgins, Nick Dal Santo and Jarrad Waite — came at little expense as Scott aggressively hunted a flag.

They were signed as free agents, meaning the price North paid was in dollars and game time, but not at the draft.

The spread of age at Arden St is not a problem. The question is this — is North Melbourne’s next wave any good?

The answer is unknown. Richmond’s 21 top-30 picks ranks second in the AFL and the Kangaroos are just shy with 19.

But the club’s two debutants this season is the fewest in the competition, just as its one last year was.

Ryan Clarke has impressed in his six AFL games this year.

Ryan Clarke had to wait until Dal Santo was struck down by gastro to get a game as a late change this year.

A fortnight later and Scott declared he was “one of the brightest young players in the competition”.

Clarke pocketed just North’s third Rising Star nominee in six years while the Kangas were the only club overlooked in the 50-man AFLPA under-22 squad.

Clarke looks a find.

He is a gut-runner who wins the ball at every level. Dumont looks comfortable at AFL level and forwards Ben Brown and Mason Wood have star potential.

As for the rest? Who knows. Only Kangaroo fans who venture out to Werribee games have had a look at the 2015 class — Ed Vickers-Willis, Daniel Nielson and Sam Durdin.

Last year’s prized pick — Ben McKay — needs a splash of confidence and a rise in disposals to be considered, even if twin brother Harry is being fast-tracked at Carlton.

McKay stands 199cm and 95kg, kicked three goals against Essendon and featured on the emergency list the week. He has signed a two-year contract extension in a promising sign.

Swingman Durdin (shoulder) was always going to take time and, in fairness, Vickers-Willis (shoulders) and Nielson (knee) also both suffered injuries in year one.

But the closest any of that batch has come to a debut was when Daniel Wells pulled up lame in the pre-game warm-up against Collingwood and was nearly replaced by Vickers-Willis.

Ed Vickers-Willis takes a strong mark for Werribee. Picture: Carmelo Bazzano

Key-position prospect Ben McKay at Kangaroos training. Picture: Colleen Petch

The kid with a hyphen was dubbed “Mr Fix-It” in his draft year — he could plug a hole anywhere.

Last week that position was in defence in the VFL on Western Bulldog Jake Stringer, and he was best-afield with 20 disposals, eight marks and nine tackles.

Declan Mountford was a late pick last year but played well against George Horlin-Smith recently while Mitch Hibberd mixes endurance with speed.

Chairman James Brayshaw said the Roos needed a “pretty aggressive reset” to help North win its fifth premiership.

Well, four holes just opened up in the best 22. And the replacements have already been assembled.

HIGH HOPES

North Melbourne’s “joeys” selected at the past three AFL national drafts.

2015

21 Ben McKay 0 games (swing man)

31 Ryan Clarke 6 (midfielder)

33 Mitch Hibberd 0 (half-back)

43 Corey Wagner 4 (midfielder)

60 Declan Mountford 0 (midfielder)

2014

16 Sam Durdin 0 (swing man)

25 Daniel Nielson 0 (key defender)

36 Ed Vickers-Willis 0 (key defender)

2013

8 Luke McDonald 50 (defender)

30 Trent Dumont 18 (midfielder)

47 Ben Brown 53 (key forward)