NORTH Melbourne is planning to add more experience to its developing group through next week's NAB AFL Rookie Draft, having already set its sights on former Hawthorn premiership player Liam Shiels.
As revealed by AFL.com.au earlier this week, the Kangaroos are set to recruit Shiels under pre-season Supplemental Selection Period rules, meaning he will reunite with his former Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson.
But the rebuilding club will cast its net wider for ex-AFL talent in the days following next week's NAB AFL Draft as it eyes more senior bodies to supplement one of the League's youngest playing groups.
The Kangaroos have been granted access to two additional list spots thanks to an AFL assistance package delivered in September, with list manager Brady Rawlings revealing the club plans to use those positions on experienced players.
"That's what we're looking at," Rawlings told AFL.com.au's NAB AFL Draft Night Countdown.
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"With the first pick in the rookie draft, we'll see if there's anyone that spits out of the national draft that we rated. We obviously have to look at that first. But with the other spots that we've got available – and we've got the extra two spots given the AFL assistance – our plan is to get some maturity through the rookie draft."
North Melbourne, who currently holds picks No.2 and No.3 at the national draft, appears poised to select powerful Oakleigh Chargers midfielder George Wardlaw and lively Sandringham Dragons forward Harry Sheezel on Monday night.
But the club will also target experience and is closing on the signing of Shiels, following a Trade Period where it successfully lured Fremantle duo Griffin Logue and Darcy Tucker but narrowly missed out on contracted St Kilda onballer Hunter Clark.
"Obviously, we're a pretty young group. We did go to the Trade Period to try and get a bit more mature. We were able to bring in Griffin and Darcy. We would have liked to have brought in one more, but that didn't quite eventuate given the player was contracted," Rawlings said.
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"We've got four picks in the national draft and we'll be bringing in four 18-year-olds to add to our already young group. We need to look at the rookie space and get our maturity that way.
"Liam is certainly one that we've got interest in. He's a very well-credentialed player and he's an absolute pro. He's got premiership experience, which we don't have at our club. He's just another player to set some standards and we feel he's versatile to play a couple of different roles for us as well."
