NORTH Melbourne has finalised its delistings after a busy NAB AFL Trade Period, advising former Essendon defender Alex Morgan he won't be offered a contract for 2019.
Morgan joined North as a delisted free agent at the end of last season after two seasons with the Bombers in which he failed to play a senior game.
Pick No.29 in the 2015 NAB AFL Draft, Morgan made his long-awaited AFL debut this year in round 17 against Sydney, but in his second game the following week the speedster suffered a calf injury against Collingwood and did not play another senior match.
Morgan will continue to train with the Kangaroos ahead of next month's rookie draft, in the hope the Roos or another club will throw him a lifeline.
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"Alex made a real fist of his time at North but unfortunately some recent acquisitions have meant more changes were needed to our list," North football manager Cameron Joyce said on Thursday.
"He collected 18 disposals in his first game and acquitted himself well, but unfortunately he wasn't able to have a sustained run in the senior side because of injury.
"We really hope Alex finds his way on to a list in the coming months because he is a terrific person and a player with a lot of talent.
"Alex will continue to train with us up until the rookie draft but, for now, we thank him for his contribution and professionalism over the past 12 months."
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Morgan's chances of earning a contract extension were not helped when North picked up speedy defender Jasper Pittard as part of its trade with Port Adelaide for Jared Polec.
The Roos snared four players in the Trade Period – Demon Dom Tyson and Gold Coast's Aaron Hall were the others – as they looked to add class and run to their midfield and half-back lines.
Morgan becomes the ninth player to depart from North's senior list since the end of the season, with five other Roos delisted – Billy Hartung, Mitch Hibberd, Declan Mountford, Daniel Nielson and Josh Williams – Ryan Clarke (Sydney) and Braydon Preuss (Melbourne) traded, and Jarrad Waite retiring.
Rookies Tom Jeffries, Oscar Junker and Gordon Narrier have also been delisted.
North is likely to recruit a mature-age ruckman to cover Preuss' departure either in the delisted free agency period which opens next Thursday (November 1) or in one of the national, pre-season or rookie drafts.
The Roos are also expected to take Tasmanian academy member Tarryn Thomas and father-son prospect Bailey Scott in next month's draft, while Joel Crocker, the son of 1996 premiership player and coaching director Darren, is also on the club's radar.
