North Melbourne are battling through one of their toughest seasons yet as they face the gruelling reality of a rebuild period.
The Kangaroos currently have 23 players without a contract for next season, with the club likely to cull close to half of that crop.
Key Forward Ben Brown headlines the long list, joining out-of-favour onballer Jared Polec, Majak Daw, Paul Ahern, Jamie Macmillan, Mason Wood, Ben Jacobs, Ed Vickers-Willis, Taylor Garner, Marley Williams and Sam Durdin as first-team players facing an unstable future.
While many rebuilding clubs head down the path of trading away value for early draft selections, the Kangaroos will be holding onto a number of key veterans.
In an interview with The Herald Sun,ย Football boss Brady Rawlings named contracted quartet Todd Goldstein, Ben Cunnington, Shaun Higgins and Jack Ziebell as the four players who won't be placed on the trade table.
โThere are big decisions to be made โฆ It will be thorough," Rawlings said.
โClearly, weโre not throwing everyone out, but weโve got to look at players who are going to help us in the future.
โWeโve made the call that, and we know theyโve given their all for this club, but if we donโt see them helping us in the future, then thatโs what the decision will be, they wonโ be here.โ
Rawlings was recently appointed to his role and admitted he was well aware of the task at hand.
โWhen I took this job last year, we knew we had a bit of work ahead of us,โโ Rawlings said.
โThereโs going to be short-term pain to get to where we want to get to.
โWe think weโve got a good group of 22 and unders and we want to add to that.
โClearly, the draft this year is massive for us, we want to get in young elite talent.
โWe got two first rounders (Northโs own and Melbourneโs) and got Essendonโs second rounder and it put us in a good position to net some quality.
โThose two first rounders are untouchable โฆ weโre picking the best kids possible.
โBut we canโt be bringing in 12 18-year-olds.
โWe have to make sure thereโs experience around the 22 and unders.โ
Rawlings added that there are some names who will be held to their contracts despite being out of favour.
โI will not individualise but clearly with the guys out of contract, discussions have to be had,โ Rawlings said.
โI know what this club stands for and I know what our members and supporters expect from our players when they cross the line, and itโs competitors who give their all and a never-say-die attitude.
โAnd players who have got that are players we canโt afford to lose.
โPlayers who donโt have that attitude find themselves in a position where they might not be here next year. Itโs as simple as that.โ
When speaking on Goldstein and Higgins, Rawlings said their experience was vital to the club's growth.
โWe locked away Shaun and Todd last year, and weโve got to make sure we have enough experience around the youth a well,โโ Rawlings said.
โWe certainly wonโt be offering them up for trade, no.โโ
