NORTH Melbourne has secured its second NSW/ACT Scholarship player after recruiting manager Neville Stibbard won the signature of North Shore Bombers midfielder Lachlan Pryor earlier this month.

The 17-year-old Sydney schoolboy joins James Wilsen as one of two players to be taken by the Kangaroos via the AFL's scholarship system following a string of strong performances during the NSW/ACT Under 18 zone trials held in Coffs Harbour last month.

The 183cm, 92kg onballer, who models his game on Sydney hard nut Jude Bolton, says he'll never forget the moment he received the call from Stibbard telling him the Roos were interested in signing him.  

"I remember it well because I was coming back from having my hair cut and I was annoyed at having to get that done just because it was my first day of school," Pryor says.

"I wasn't in a great mood when I answered, but then Neville said he was from North Melbourne and that they were interested in having me as a scholarship player.

"Straight away I was stunned and shocked and didn't know what to say. I'd given up on being given a scholarship. I was just concentrating on making the Rams (NSW/ACT) squad and then aiming to get drafted from there so to be given this opportunity was huge."

Unlike most of his contemporaries from Sydney's north shore, Pryor grew up on a staple of Australian football, having played the southern code ever since his Auskick days.

Although he always displayed great promise as a junior, Pryor also showed an early aptitude for sailing, following in the footsteps of his father Martin, who had earlier made a living as a professional sailor.

But despite his sailing pedigree – and the fact his school (SCECGS Redlands) had forged a proud history in rugby union – Australian football was always going to be his No.1 priority when there was a choice to be made.

"For as long as I can remember my first dream was to make it into the AFL and my second was to sail for Australia," he said.

"I started off in the 29ers class and won a national youth championship in that and then moved into a different class of boats, which was the International Cadet class.

"I managed to represent Australia in that when I was about 15 and that took me to Spain and England where I competed in a few regattas, which was a great experience.

"When I came back from there I thought it was time to knuckle down with my football and approach sailing as a leisure sport. My reasoning is that I can come back to sailing at any time but if I want to make it in the AFL I have to have a crack at it while I'm still young."

Receiving the scholarship is just the start of a long process that may or may not lead to Pryor winning a place on a senior AFL list. But according to the Roos' assistant recruiting manager Bryce Lewis, the Roos' support network will give him every chance of fulfilling his dream of making it to the big time.

"It's not our thing to just hand out scholarships. The club put a lot of time into our first scholarship player in James Wilsen and it's pleasing he's got an opportunity now on the rookie list," Lewis says.

"Our aim now with Lachlan is to develop him football-wise but we have to be mindful of fitting our programs around his schooling and his Rams commitments. But he's got a terrific attitude and a real desire to play so that's a great start."

Part of Pryor's training regime will involve keeping in regular contact with the Roos' new development coach Dave Newett, who will provide feedback after viewing Pryor's games with the NSW/ACT Rams.

Newett will also try to get to as many of Pryor's games as possible and will have regular communication with his coaches at various levels.

He will round out his education process by spending time with North Melbourne where possible during his school holidays, a prospect he is looking forward to.

"I've been down to see the club once already and caught up with James Wilsen, who I played with a few times a couple of years ago," Pryor says.

"I must admit, being a Swannies supporter I don't know a hell of a lot about the Kangas but my best mate Adam is a mad, keen Roos fan so I've been asking him for any info he's got on all the players.

"I've also been on the net a fair bit trying to learn all I can about them so that I can be right up with it when I go back down to Melbourne. I just can't wait to get into it."