AFL clubs will be ‘up in arms’ if struggling North Melbourne get a huge helping hand from the league

AFL teams will be ‘up in arms’ if North Melbourne were to be handed a priority pick in this year’s draft, following a dismal start to the season.

The Kangaroos are bottom of the ladder after six games with five losses and one win and a 60.6 percentage – the worst in the competition. North lost their first eight games last season and have won just six of their 42 matches since Round 3 of the 2020 campaign.

Kangaroos boss David Noble urged the club to speak to the AFL about applying for a priority pick in May last year. Should the scenario repeat this season, the AFL could have a significant issue on its hand if it were to grant the request.

David Noble is under pressure at North Melbourne, with his team in big troubles this season

‘I have spoken to a couple of prominent list managers whose firm view is other clubs will be “up in arms” if North Melbourne get a priority pick in this year’s draft,’ 7 News chief footy reporter Tom Browne told Triple M on Thursday.

‘The strong views from managers I have spoken to is that they must have an uncompromised draft going forward. […] All clubs want an uncompromised draft. There’s a broad discussion about whether North deserve one [priority pick].’

Browne added several AFL teams would be against the possibility of handing North a priority pick as the Kangaroos held the first overall pick in both mid-season draft and the national draft last year.

Furthermore, some of the other 17 AFL franchises reportedly believe ‘it’s up to them [North] to chase a prominent free agent’ and make use of the significant amount of salary cap at their disposal.   

The Kangaroos have made a dismal start to the season, losing five of their first six games

And are bottom of the ladder after finishing 18th last season with a percentage of 70.3

Following their dismal start to the season in 2021, the Kangaroos won four and draw one of their next 10 games and finished 18th on the ladder, with a percentage of 70.3. 

The AFL hasn’t handed out priority picks since 2019, when the Gold Coast Suns received had the first two overall selections in the draft – the first as a priority pick, the second due to their record – and three extra picks over the course of the following three seasons.

Brisbane were given a priority pick after the first round of the 2016 draft, while in 2018 Carlton were allowed to pre-list state league players. 

A priority pick, however, is ‘firmly back on the table’, according to Nine’s AFL reporter Caroline Wilson.  

Noble urged North to speak to the AFL about applying for a priority pick last season

‘North have had a shocking run since David Noble has been coach and before David Noble took over,’ she told Footy Classified on Wednesday. 

‘They‘ve got a lot of issues, North Melbourne, and this is something that is really, really worrying the AFL at the moment.’

Speaking on the same show, Essendon legend Matthew Lloyd said the club should focus on developing young players rather than relying on priority picks.

‘We talk about priority picks, I‘ve seen so many guys go into weak and poor football clubs [and struggle].

‘I‘d rather a Mark Williams or a Ross Lyon come into my football club to top up and develop players and harness players – because, to be honest, they [draftees] go into a poor club and they’re spat out the door within four years anyway.’

The Kangaroos have conceded 74 goals in their past four games and lost by 60 points against Geelong on Sunday (above) 

The Kangaroos have delisted 21 players over the last four seasons and 17 across the past two campaigns alone, but the massive overhaul has not paid dividends on the field.

Former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley said North were not moving forward, when compared with clubs such as Adelaide and Hawthorn who finished near the bottom of the ladder last season.

‘It looks like they [the Crows and the Hawks] are going places,’ Buckley told SEN Breakfast this week. 

‘They’re moving forward.  

‘North is stagnating. They’re not really showing their fans or anyone where they’re going with their footy and it’s a hard watch.’