“Hopefully, we can bring in one or two of them.”
North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson is looking to replicate some of the success he achieved during his celebrated tenure at Hawthorn, with a focus on attracting top talent from rival teams to help in that effort.
Clarkson, a four-time premiership-winning coach, confirmed the club’s interest in hard-hitting premiership Demon Jack Viney, openly discussing the players on their target list, including those currently under contract.
“We’re interested in anyone who can contribute in that area,” Clarkson said on SEN Breakfast.
“There are about half a dozen players who have had successful and strong careers, and are strong leaders.”
“All the players we’re after are probably contracted, which makes sense since they’re valuable.”
“It’s just can you extract one or two of them out, who feel like their either not going to get the same opportunities as what they had before, or they feel like their club’s going in a different direction.”
“Jack is part of that mix, but you also mentioned Ollie Wines—we’d like to have a conversation with him, as well as Luke Parker. Dane Rampe is nearing the end of his career at 34, and we’re considering Cal Ward too.”
During Hawthorn’s successful four-premiership run under Clarkson from 2008 to 2015, the team benefited from a blend of homegrown talent and strategic player acquisitions, bringing in key figures like Josh Gibson, Brian Lake, and Ben McEvoy to enhance their success.
While the outcome of the upcoming free agency and trade period for his current Kangaroos team remains uncertain, Clarkson reflected on past experiences.
“It’s a constantly changing scenario, and you can’t predict it from the start,” the four-time premiership coach said on SEN Breakfast.
“But what is clear is that the foundation of your football club’s future lies with young talent.
“At Hawthorn, when we needed another defender, we went after Lake and Gibson. We saw Gibson as a valuable addition, even when North Melbourne had him lower on their depth chart, and we thought he was much more highly rated than that.”
“In their three-peat years of 2013, 2014, and 2015, a team filled with elite talent like Hodge, Burgoyne, Mitchell, Rioli, and Birchall, Josh Gibson stood out by winning two Best & Fairest awards during those premiership seasons. That’s extraordinary.”
The promising young talent at North Melbourne has shown great potential, but achieving ultimate success will require more than just the homegrown players.
The squad features a dynamic group of young players including Luke Davies-Uniacke, Harry Sheezel, George Wardlaw, Zane Duursma, Colby McKercher, Nick Larkey, Paul Curtis, Charlie Comben, Jackson Archer, Jy Simpkin, Tom Powell, and others, who are expected to spearhead future success.
However, Clarkson believes the club will need to make external additions to reach the top.
“You’d hope the team could rely solely on North Melbourne’s young players, but winning a flag isn’t feasible with just draft picks,” Clarkson noted.
“Right now, I’m optimistic that by the second half of the year, the competition might start to recognize the excitement brewing at North Melbourne.”
“I’d like to think that players are starting to see North Melbourne as a club that will be on the rise in two, three, or four years.”
“We might be able to attract some players now. If not, we’ll have to wait another 12 months and hope we’ll be an attractive option then.”
“I’m not sure about the hit/miss ratio for other clubs, but I’d say ours is about one in ten.”
North Melbourne will conclude their home-and-away season with matches against the Western Bulldogs and Hawthorn in Rounds 23 and 24, aiming to end on a high note with two strong performances before what is expected to be a busy off-season.