NORTH Melbourne has delisted high-priced recruit Jared Polec, despite the former Port Adelaide wingman still having one season to run on a lucrative five-year contract he signed in 2018.
The Kangaroos parted with pick No.11 to secure Polec, alongside his former Power teammate Jasper Pittard, four years ago. However, the experienced midfielder played just 42 games for the club.
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He was initially delisted with two seasons to run on his contract last year, but was retained at Arden Street on the rookie list. However, having managed just two appearances in 2022 in an injury-plagued campaign, he has now been cut definitively.
Polec had impressed across pre-season earlier this year and was named by former coach David Noble as a certain starter for round one. But an injury to his foot forced him to undergo surgery and troubled him throughout the campaign.
He had previously played 16 games for Brisbane and 90 for Port Adelaide, with North Melbourne suggesting its decision to delist him will open up more primary list spots for the club ahead of this month's NAB AFL Draft.
"Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, Jared hasn't been able to recapture the form he showed in his first year at the club," Kangaroos list boss Brady Rawlings said.
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"We made the decision to re-draft Jared this time last year after he was initially delisted but things haven't worked out for him or the club since then.
"As a result, we'll take four selections into the national draft and we'll have added flexibility with our rookie list due to the two extra picks that came via the AFL’s assistance package."
North Melbourne bolstered its wing depth during the recent Continental Tyres AFL Trade Period, signing Fremantle's Darcy Tucker alongside key defender Griffin Logue. The club will also take picks No.2, 3, 23, 40, 43 and 70 to the draft.
