Out-of-contract Giants midfielder Tanner Bruhn has spoken to Alastair Clarkson as North Melbourne and their new coach step up their search for talent to add to their list.
Clarkson has been sounding out several potential recruits, including St Kilda’s Ben Long and West Coast’s Junior Rioli, as he looks to balance the list with the right mixture of emerging talent and those with leadership experience.
The Giants’ Tanner Bruhn is likely to return to Victoria to continue his career.Credit:AFL Photos
Bruhn is likely to return to Victoria just two years after the Giants used pick 12, their first pick in the 2020 national draft, to select him.
The Giants are disappointed they have not been able to convince him to extend his contract beyond this season as he has shown promise in his first two seasons.
From Geelong, Bruhn played 13 games in his first season despite not playing much football in 2020 due to COVID, with the club looking to extend his contract earlier that season.
He then played a variety of roles as he developed in 17 games this season without making a significant impact as he struggled to break into the team’s star-studded midfield.
Sources at the Giants said Bruhn was heavily invested in the program and had settled in well after arriving in Sydney with three other draftees from Victoria, including Cam Fleeton, who was also from Geelong.
The Giants also have a new coach in Adam Kingsley, who is completing his stint as Richmond assistant coach before leaping full-time into the Greater Western Sydney role.
The Giants are expecting a busy trade period, with Tim Taranto, Jacob Hopper and Ian Hill all likely to depart, which could open up further midfield opportunities for Bruhn.
Taranto is favoured to go to Richmond, Hopper to Geelong and Hill to Collingwood, with all three teams reaching the final eight.
North Melbourne have pick 1, 55 and 66 but are hoping for extra draft assistance from the AFL after being uncompetitive in 2022 when they won just two matches.
They have a promising young midfield, with Jason Horne-Francis, Will Phillips and Tarryn Thomas all top-10 draft picks.
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