SOPHIE GANNON: Why North Melbourne have traded away their future with Richmond draft deal

If North fans are hoping for some glimmer of hope at this year’s draft they will be sorely disappointed.

As the Roos hurtle towards the end of another horror season with no visible sign of improvement from the years previous, part of their disastrous 2025 season can be circled back to their equally disastrous decision at last year’s draft.

On that night, North Melbourne made a declaration to the competition that they would be better — not an uncommon pledge for struggling clubs to make — even though they showed they may not be great gamblers.

They traded their first-round pick to the Tigers in one of the worst trade deals in AFL history.

But hold on, what did they get in return?

A couple of future first rounders? An emerging star of the competition? A star key back to support their seriously leaky defence?

Nope. A second round pick this year and Matt Whitlock, who has only played one game this season, after being taken as pick 27 last year.

To be clear, this isn’t about Whitlock. Clearly, North liked him as a prospect and felt as if he had slipped under the radar. For North’s sake I hope he becomes another Tom Lynch.

But what were they thinking? You only consider making that trade if you are certain you are going to finish in the top four the next year. Or at the very least, play finals.

There’s no doubt that North were backing themselves in for 2025, but I doubt they deluded themselves into thinking they would crack the top eight.

Bringing in Jack Darling, Luke Parker and Caleb Daniel was designed to bring in cool heads and experience to the side, but even their best efforts have been unable to paper over the widespread inability of a squad — stacked with high draft picks from the last few years — to deliver on its promise.

Now there are calls for Alastair Clarkson’s head following their embarrassing 101 point loss to Geelong on Saturday night.

North have banked only four wins, and one draw against Brisbane, and sit 17th on the ladder, two points below Richmond which, gives them (actually Richmond) the second pick in the draft.

Did North truly believe they would win a dozen games this year after winning that many in the four years previous? If they had been more realistic and accepted they might finish bottom three again this year, they would never have made the deal with Richmond.

Top five picks have always been worth their weight in gold — they can be the players that you build a club around like Buddy, The Bont and Dusty. Sam Lalor has showed early glimpses for Richmond this year he can be one of those players.

North Melbourne aren’t exactly a destination club so they rely on top picks to get talent through the door.

These top end picks have never been worth more. Academy picks and father-son selections have ravaged the first round over the past few years and this year will be no different.

North would have known that Gold Coast, Sydney and Brisbane all have top-end prospects already tied to their club in the 2025 draft class.

These top five picks are so precious because they don’t get compromised the way a pick 15 or a pick 20 does which is what they now have.

North’s pick 20 will most likely become a pick in the late 20s, if the draft plays out as expected, making the deal even worse.

On top of this, the Tasmanian Devils are about to enter the league, meaning top draft pics are about to be even harder to come by.

Under the current AFL proposal, Tasmania will be given picks 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13 in the 2027 draft — just two years away (they will be required to trade picks 5, 7, 9 and 13 to other clubs).

To rub salt into the Roos’ wounds, Richmond will likely finish above them on the ladder and hold pick two and three — one theirs, one North’s.

You can’t undo what has already been done, but North should not trade away anymore high draft picks for a supposed gem in the rough second rounder.

The next four weeks may be the most important games for this club in a decade.

They play St Kilda, GWS, Richmond and Adelaide, while Richmond play the Suns, Saints, Roos and Cats.

If you’re in North Melbourne’s front office right now, you’re not just hoping to win three of your next four, you’re seriously praying.

Because the alternative is watching another rebuilding club unwrap your prized pick before their own, while your fans wonders where it all went horribly, horribly wrong.