Two-time North Melbourne premiership player David King was left “extremely frustrated” by the club’s decision to let go of both pick one and last year’s top pick Jason Horne-Francis, labelling it the “full stop” to a horror period.
The Kangaroos were part of the biggest trade deal in AFL history, when four clubs came together for what’s been dubbed the mega trade of 2022.
But King wasn’t impressed by the blockbuster trade, which sees the Roos become the first club since Fremantle back in 2001 to trade away pick one, claiming his former club is in “crisis”.
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“Horne-Francis was pick one – gone, pick one this year – gone. They’ve given up two pick ones for two and three. I don’t understand it at all,” he said on Trading Day.
“You can’t cry about spilt milk (after turning down Adelaide’s deal for pick one last year).
“They’ve been dudded.
“It just puts a full stop on an awful period.”
In the massive deal finalised on Monday afternoon, Port Adelaide receive both last year’s number one draftee Horne-Francis and Eagle Junior Rioli plus two future picks.
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The Eagles’ split pick two to gain 8 and 12, plus some future picks while North Melbourne end up with picks 2, 3, 40 and 43 plus Port’s future first rounder.
GWS move up to pick one in the draft, and reportedly have their sights firmly set on young forward Aaron Cadman.
King said the fact the Giants were so eager to get their hands on the first pick should be a concern for North Melbourne’s recruiters.
“I’m extremely frustrated by this,” he said.
“I just don’t know at what stage North Melbourne will decide to invest in a tall forward of note.
“There’s one sitting there (Cadman) – you hold the pick that will secure this guy for a decade. They overlooked (Swan) Logan McDonald a few years ago and everyone said: ‘OK, you’ve gone for (mid Will) Phillips and we’ll wait and see’. And I understand that.
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“But when you see what GWS have done to get up the board to get this guy, country Victorian kid, he’s an hour down the road – like this is perfect for them.
“Clearly they don’t rate him as high as everyone else does. And that’s OK. Time will tell. But it’s a big gamble for a football club where not much has gone right in the last three or four years.”
King pointed to the hefty price Geelong had to pay to prize away Jeremy Cameron as a warning to clubs who opted not to develop young tall talent.
“The joint’s in crisis and has been for some time,” he warned.
“Have a look at if you don’t draft your own power forward.
“It’s a two to three-year investment somewhere down the track.
“When do you start straightening up your spine? The midfield is an easy discussion. They’ll get two good midfielders but so will everyone else.”
Journalist Jon Ralph also pointed out the possible “horror scenario” for the Roos should Horne-Francis go on to lift Port Adelaide to premiership contention.
Their success in 2023 is tied to the first round draft pick North Melbourne will receive next year.
Fellow Trading Day panellist Brad Johnson played devil’s advocate and said it was possible North Melbourne were prepared to wait to draft a tall talent in 2023 – given he expects them to once again finish down the table.
“They could have their eye on the best tall forward next year. North Melbourne, they are not climbing,” he said.
“The pick one in 2023 could be the tall forward to draft.
“I think next year they get their tall because they won’t climb the ladder.”
