Highly rated small forward Harry Sheezel has jumped to the top of North Melbourne’s draft board as the club considers how to invest its two top-three picks at next month’s national draft.
In the very likely scenario that Sheezel is still available, the Kangaroos intend to use one of those picks on the young gun from Sandringham Dragons, according to a source familiar with the situation.
North Melbourne “split” their No.1 draft pick in the recently completed trade period to acquire picks two and three as part of the complicated four-way Jason Horne-Francis trade.
Vic Metro star Harry Sheezel is in the sights of the Kangaroos.Credit:AFL Photos
Those picks will essentially become three and four once the Brisbane Lions match the expected bid from Greater Western Sydney for father-son prospect Will Ashcroft, who is widely seen as the pick of the 2022 class.
Harry Sheezel.Credit:AFL Photos
The Giants have pick No.1 , also obtained in the Horne-Francis transaction, but will almost certainly use that selection on Greater Western Victoria Rebels key forward Aaron Cadman.
GWS have been open about their reluctance to recruit certain players due to the go-home factor, and view Cadman as a low flight risk given he’s from the Victorian country town of Darley.
“When you’re an interstate club and the draft board is predominantly, at the top end, looks like it’s littered with Victorian talent, you’ve got some risk there,” GWS football manager Jason McCartney told AFL Trade Radio this month.
“You might think it’s fine that you just pick this player and you get them into your environment and your system, and it’s all fine, but if there’s apprehension about a player right from the word go about making the move interstate and they may go home, you just can’t take the risk unfortunately.
“The draft board for us, and maybe some other interstate clubs, it’s not the same draft board (as the Victorian clubs). And that’s OK, that’s the reality. We’re not complaining about it. So we do have to look at things a little bit differently.
“Everyone can throw up the players, and we love all the players that have been talked about, but there’s some we can’t pick. That’s the reality.”
The Giants had been linked to Sheezel, but that was when they were still at No.3 in the draft order.
Essendon were also believed to be interested in Sheezel, but they are currently at pick No.4, making it harder for them to recruit him.
Oakleigh Chargers duo Elijah Tsatas and George Wardlaw, as well as Gippsland Power forward/midfielder Bailey Humphrey, are all strong contenders for the top five as well.
Sheezel is poised to become the first Jewish AFL player since former Richmond and Melbourne player Ezra Poyas was among senior ranks 20 years ago.
North Melbourne ruckman, and Sheezel’s likely teammate in 2023, Todd Goldstein has a Jewish father, but according to Jewish tradition, the religion passes down from the mother.
North Melbourne have been contacted for comment.
Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter.
