A single draft pick has reportedly been tabled by North Melbourne.
North Melbourne have reportedly abandoned their early third-round pick for Carlton as talks begin to sign Zac Fisher.
After a tour of the Roos’ grounds at Arden Street, Fisher submitted a trade request to become a North Melbourne player despite having two years left on his contract with the Blues.
The West Australian, who has played just a dozen games under senior coach Michael Voss this season, has been given the green light to assess his options elsewhere, with the Kangaroos emerging as a keen suitor. A busy player transfer season is expected in North Melbourne over the next nine days. Free agent pair Todd Goldstein and Ben McKay are expected to move to Essendon, while out-of-contract Sydney midfielder Dylan Stephens is headed to Victoria and will land with the Roses as early as this week.
Pursuing Fisher is another part of the list for Roos Brady Rawlings and his team’s plan to move, and talks with the Blues are likely to continue. According to AFL.com.au , North Melbourne have fielded Carlton Pick 42 for this year’s Fisher National Draft, their previous selection in addition to the three first-round selections they currently hold. The Roses also have picks 54 and 62, along with their entire arm for next year’s draft, as well as some AFL relief picks, which currently fall towards the end of the first round in 2024.
If Carlton is not happy with the Pick 42 offer, they will likely have to look to North Melbourne for the 2024 arm as the Kangaroos for Fisher are unlikely to have an earlier pick in this year’s draft.
The Kangaroos could make up for the loss of Goldstein, while the group’s one replacement pick – Pick 3 – could drop when McKay moves to Tullamarine.
Sydney can claim Pick 19 or one of two other utility package picks from the Kangaroos in exchange for a former top-five draft pick. Carlton could look at Roos’ future second-round pick, and later picks could change hands to please both sides.
Since making his debut in 2017, Fisher has made 107 appearances for the Blues and scored 53 goals.
The 2023 trading season opens on Monday, October 9 at 9:00 a.m. (AEDT) on Wednesday, October 18 at 7:30 p.m.
