AFL Draft: Why North Melbourne could trade Pick 2 and the rival teams best placed for a deal

AFL clubs in possession of picks at the top end for this year's National Draft will find themselves in an exciting but challenging position given the even spread of teenage stars set to be on offer atop the board in mid-November.

North Melbourne, who are set to enter the draft with the second overall selection, might be in the most intricate position of them all as they weigh up whether to draft a midfielder with a top four pick for the sixth time since 2017.

The Kangaroos have used their past seven opening first-round selections on midfield talent to now be home to one of the most exciting young engine room ensembles in the competition despite already being without two of the players they selected with those picks.

VIEW: 2024 AFL DRAFT ORDER

Since taking co-captain Jy Simpkin with Pick 12 in the 2016 AFL Draft, the Roos have followed that acquisition with the additions of top 10 selections Luke Davies-Uniacke, Tarryn Thomas, Will Phillips, Jason Horne-Francis, Harry Sheezel and Colby McKercher.

Both Thomas and Horne-Francis now find themselves elsewhere, with the remaining five all holding roles in Alastair Clarkon's midfield group in some form.

Sheezel, drafted as a small forward before being utilised as a defensive architect, now finds himself as a leading piece in the centre of North Melbourne's side, while the young McKercher is following in the reigning Syd Barker Medal winner's footsteps as an attacking outlet in Clarkon's back third.

A move back into midfield, where McKercher thrived for Tasmania in his draft year to earn a selection at Pick 2, will eventually come down the line for the teenager, given his highly-rated pace, ball-winning nous and decision-making as a first-year player.

Davies-Uniacke remains the bull in the Roos' midfield, while Simpkin and Phillips saw their roles pivot this year to accommodate Sheezel, Tom Powell and George Wardlaw - who is another midfielder drafted by North Melbourne with a top-four pick.

Roos' most recent opening first-round draft picks

Following Richmond's opening selection for this year's AFL Draft, the Roos will be on the clock and, at this stage, would be taking another midfielder if they go down the 'best available talent' route - an avenue clubs can't afford to avoid with early draft picks.

The top echelon of prospects in the 2024 pool is dominated by onballers who each boast their own strengths and leading traits. Oakleigh Charges pairing Jagga Smith and Finn O'Sullivan each have a chance to be taken with the Tigers' first pick, as do Eastern Ranges gun Josh Smillie, South Australian Sid Draper and Larke Medal winner Harvey Langford.

While unlikely to fetch a bid at Pick 1, Brisbane father-son tied prospect Levi Ashcroft might be the best of the midfielders on offer, with Sandringham Dragons teammate Murphy Reid another chance to go in the top five selections, as is Vic Country ace Sam Lalor.

So, do the Kangaroos add another midfielder to their already stacked young group and again go against adding key position support with their opening pick?

Unlike the club's luxuries of last year, where they drafted five prospects in the first 23 spots, the Roos hold two selections in the top 39, their other coming at Pick 22.

If they roll the dice on a key position prospect at Pick 2, the Roos would likely have their sights set on Vic Metro defender Luke Trainor or fellow Sandringham Dragons tall Harry Armstrong, while Murray Bushrangers twins Jack and Matt Whitlock and Bendigo's Jobe Shanahan have strengthened their stocks in a midfield-heavy draft crop.

But the use of Pick 2 on any of Armstrong, Shanahan or the Whitlocks might be too early for the Roos, while the same could be said of Trainor despite his stellar year in the National Championships, with Sandringham, at school level and in the AFL Academy.

One of the above could slide to the Roos' second pick, but that selection, too, will be pushed back several spots after the anticipated matched bids on father-son and Academy prospects in the first round.

So, while the Kangaroos weigh up their options at Pick 2, would they consider splitting that selection for a pair of top 10 picks?

Currently, Fremantle are the only club that could offer that good of a draft hand as they hold Picks 9 and 10, the latter being traded from Collingwood last year.

The Dockers are a chance to part with one or both of those picks as they look to lure Richmond pair Shai Bolton and Liam Baker to Cockburn, meaning the Tigers might be a bidder for Pick 2.

Richmond are also said to be a chance of securing Gold Coast's selection of Pick 6 in a trade deal for Daniel Rioli, meaning the Tigers could hold selections 1, 6 and 9/10, placing them as a key player in the early stages of this year's draft.

Pick 6 and either 9 or 10 could be packaged to satisfy the Roos in a deal for Pick 2, a trade that would give North Melbourne two bites in the top 10 while the Tigers open the count with the first pair of picks.

It would place the Kangaroos in a position to acquire both Trainor and Armstrong, or at least one of the two and another top line teenager in the top 10.

St Kilda is another avenue for the Roos to potentially split their first selection, with the Saints holding Pick 7 and could add Pick 8 to their draft hand if Josh Battle's free agency move to Hawthorn nets them category one compensation.

As ideal as a spot at Pick 2 might be, the Saints might be reluctant to halve their number of top 10 draft selections as opposed to the Tigers, who could still have several further first-round picks at their disposal after on-trading picks from Fremantle and Gold Coast to the Kangaroos.

Richmond also possesses the prized position of opening the second round of the AFL Draft, which will start night two of this year's proceedings.

Rival clubs are likely to offer premium deals for the selection as they look to move to the front of the queue and attain the best teenager left over from the first round of picks.

The first night and opening round of the 2024 National Draft is scheduled for Wednesday, November 20, with all remaining picks to take place the following evening.