North Melbourne heads into the 2022 season with relatively low expectations, as senior coach David Noble embarks on his second year at the helm at Arden Street.
The Roos finished last season dead last on the ladder, netting them the prized first overall selection at last November's National Draft, which turned out to be highly-regarded South Adelaide midfielder, Jason Horne-Francis.
The Kangaroos were also lauded for poaching hard-nosed midfielder Hugh Greenwood from the Gold Coast Suns, as well as landing promising ex-Richmond ruck-forward Callum Coleman-Jones during the trade period.
Many pundits predict the young Roos to nestle among the bottom four teams in the competition by season's end, but veteran skipper Jack Ziebell, along with gun talents such as Jy Simpkin and Tarryn Thomas, will look to lead North to greater success in 2022.
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Ins: Jackson Archer (National Draft), Miller Bergman (National Draft), Callum Coleman-Jones (Richmond), Paul Curtis (National Draft), Josh Goater (National Draft), Hugh Greenwood (Gold Coast Suns), Jason Horne-Francis (National Draft), Tom Lynch (Adelaide Crows).
Outs: Shaun Atley (delisted), Tom Campbell (St Kilda), Trent Dumont (Port Adelaide), Taylor Garner (delisted), Charlie Ham (delisted), Connor Menadue (delisted), Robbie Tarrant (Richmond), Dom Tyson (delisted), Will Walker (delisted).
Star Player
Aaron Hall, who showed enormous improvement off half-back since transitioning to Arden Street from the Gold Coast Suns at the end of 2018, was a serious consideration here, but we've adjudicated the Roos' best contributor to be Simpkin.
The sixth-year midfielder had far-and-away the best season of his career in 2021, amassing an average of 26.9 disposals, 4.4 marks, 3.8 tackles, 4.7 inside-50s and 5.1 clearances per game and ranking 9th in the AFL in total centre clearances last season.
Midfielder
Disposals
Tackles
Clearances
Taken by North with the 12th selection at the 2016 National Draft, the 24-year-old also wreaks havoc around the goalmouth and is entering the prime years of his career. He looks set to continue his dominance in 2022.
