HARLEY Reid started his Sunday with two goals in the opening quarter of the Bendigo Pioneers' clash with Greater Western Victoria Rebels. He ended it all but locked in as North Melbourne's next big thing.
Reid had already had an eventful day before West Coast stunned the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium.
The nominal No.1 pick had started in dominant fashion in attack for the Pioneers at Queen Elizabeth Oval and should have had a third goal in the first term if not for an errant set shot.
But in the second, when looking to fend off an opponent, the explosive midfielder jarred his knee, took off his headband and sat out the rest of the game. He wasn't to know then how the next four hours would likely seal his draft fate.
West Coast was among the clubs with multiple recruiters at Bendigo watching Reid and more talented prospects, with most clubs represented to survey the talent in the Coates Talent League double-header.
But barring a Gold Coast stumble against North Melbourne in Tasmania on Saturday, the Kangaroos will finish wooden spooners for the third straight year and nab Reid, the leading player of the 2023 draft class.
Already the Roos had been considering trading up from pick No.2 to No.1 to grab Reid, using their later first-round pick tied to Port Adelaide, but the Eagles' shock win over the Bulldogs on Sunday cleared their path.
What happens next is of most interest to clubs with early picks. The Ben McKay situation gets another layer now with his free agency exit likely to see him land at either Essendon, Port Adelaide or Sydney.
The Bombers, who AFL.com.au revealed last month had met with McKay, have loomed as the favourites. But will McKay be paid enough to generate a band one free agency compensation pick – which would net the Roos pick No.1 and 2?
North list manager Brady Rawlings told Gettable a fortnight ago the Roos would consider matching a rival bid for McKay and forcing a trade if it didn't reach first round compensation.
If it was triggered, then West Australian defender Daniel Curtin, Tasmania midfielder Colby McKercher and Gippsland star Zane Duursma all loom as key contenders for the Roos, but if the compensation wasn't at first-round level, the Eagles would be poised to grab Curtin.
Hawthorn is locked into third last on the ladder, while Gold Coast is next with pick four and Melbourne after that at pick five. However, the Suns' pick is for sale as they look to bolster their points hand ahead of bids for Academy trio Jed Walter, Ethan Read and Jake Rogers.
The Demons, Swans and Western Bulldogs are expected to be major suitors for that pick given their respective strong suites of picks.
Whichever club gets it, they are likely to be considering the same batch of players, with small forward Nick Watson, tall forward/midfielder Nate Caddy and defender Connor O'Sullivan also included in a consensus top group of talents.
Caddy was exceptional on Saturday for the Northern Knights, kicking 4.3 from 20 disposals and 11 marks in a powerful best afield display that saw him dominate around the ground.
The other interesting factor to North Melbourne's likely need for Reid at No.1 is what – if any – effect it has on the Roos' hopes of extra assistance from the AFL after securing 11 wins from their past 83 games.
The Kangaroos have been keen to get priority access to gun midfielder Ryley Sanders, who has a pending application to join North Melbourne as a Next Generation Academy player, a move that has enraged rivals and seen clubs contact the AFL. The League has been weighing that up, with a decision expected to come in Grand Final week.
There is also the possibility that Sanders could be approved as a NGA talent and the Roos given access to match a bid for him at any stage of the draft, like a father-son or northern Academy player.
With Reid now in their sights without any trade needing to be struck, the Kangaroos' options have opened up significantly.