North Melbourne’s Tom Lynch retires to give Kangaroos a second mid-season rookie draft selection

North Melbourne will have double as much incentive for this week’s mid-season rookie draft after an experienced recruit called it quits.

Tom Lynch has retired from North Melbourne without adding to his 164-game career tally. Picture: Michael Klein

Tom Lynch’s North Melbourne playing career is over before it even started.

The former Crow and Saint has officially retired after being a left-field signing with the Kangaroos in March during the pre-season supplemental selection period.

Lynch’s decision means rebuilding North Melbourne will have the opportunity to select two players in Wednesday night’s mid-season rookie draft.

The Roos have been strongly linked to late-blooming Williamstown key defender Kallan Dawson with the No.2 pick overall, with small forwards also on the radar of the club’s general manager of football talent, Brady Rawlings.

Kallan Dawson is favoured to be North Melbourne’s first pick in the mid-season rookie draft. Picture: AFL Photos

Dawson is a player of interest to various teams but is unlikely to make it past North.

West Coast is tipped to snare Dandenong Stingrays midfielder Jai Culley at No.1, while another on-baller, West Adelaide’s Josh Carmichael, is in the mix for Essendon and Adelaide with selections three and four, respectively.

Another SANFL footballer, ex-Sydney Swans Academy forward Jacob Bauer, is among the players the Giants are considering at No.5.

Lynch played 158 of his 164 AFL matches for the Crows, including the 2017 grand final, but will now focus on his development coach duties at Arden St.

“Tom joined the club with a view to supporting and mentoring our young players on-field at VFL level,” Rawlings said.

Emerging midfielder Jai Culley is the likely No.1 selection in the mid-season rookie draft. Picture: Getty Images

“We haven’t required him at this stage this year, so he’s made the selfless decision to retire and open up this list spot.

“His football experience is of such value to our young group and he will continue to work with our development coaches for the remainder of the year in our VFL program.”

The Kangaroos already opened a spot when they placed untried midfielder Miller Bergman on the club’s long-term injury list following shoulder surgery.

They picked teenage big man Jacob Edwards with the first pick of last year’s mid-season draft before adding Charlie Ham in the second round, but the latter was delisted at season’s end.