North Melbourne's assistance package has been approved by the AFL's Commission, with the Kangaroos in line to potentially receive as many as three first-round draft picks.
The assistance package comes after the club requested special help from the league to aid its on-field efforts, having finished in the bottom two of the competition in each of the past four seasons.
Following approval from the Commission and in conjunction with a presentation with all 18 club presidents, the Kangaroos will receive a selection at the end of the first round of this year's draft along with two similar selections for the 2024 draft.
The Arden Street side will also see its additional rookie list spots extended into 2024, having acquired extra list spots for the recent season.
The AFL holds the power to review the assisting picks for 2024 should North Melbourne's on-field return increase over the next 12 months, however the Roos are able to trade those selections this coming trade period.
North Melbourne's assistance package
2023
- One (1) end of AFL National Draft first round selection
2024
- Two (2) end of AFL National Draft first round selections
- An extension of two (2) additional rookie list spots for the 2024 season (previously granted for the 2023 season)
The assistance was met with some backlash from Geelong coach Chris Scott, who labelled the AFL's latest priority package as "blatant manipulation" of a system already aiming to equalise the competition.
Speaking onย Fox Footyย on Monday night, Scott highlighted the assistance clubs already get through the draft for finishing lower.
"There is a mechanism of equalisation within the competition already," Scott said. "If you finish second last, you get second pick in the draft.
"They've had that for a number of years now because they chose to go down a certain path.
"The AFL pretty quickly has to get to the point in my view where they just get out of the way and let the system operate without this blatant manipulation."
The Roos' additional selection for 2023 currently sits at Pick 19, adding to their already-attained hand of 2, 14, 40, 52, 60 and 77.
VIEW THE FULL DRAFT ORDER HERE
It’s called “feeding your face by wiping your ar$e……..
The problem with North Melbourne is not a “player problem” … at this stage we donot know if it is a “coaching” problem (given that Clarkson was not on deck for so long).
North Melbourne is a “club problem” – an administration and Board problem.
Give them 10 first rounders each year for five years and they’ll still end up last – if they cannot retain the players they draft – or have an environment whereby the players are “disillusioned”…..
They were a successful VFA club – but this has not transposed to the VFL (nominally AFL) and have struggled since the move (barring the old “buy a premiership years”).
The determination not to be “moved” to the Gold coast was a lose-lose decision.
and should be rectified now.
“Merge” the two together and recreate the triple premiership at Brisbane…..