North Melbourne enter their second straight off-season with the wooden spoon in one hand and the first selection at the National Draft in the other.
2021 saw the Roos recruit Jason Horne-Francis out of South Adelaide with Pick 1, a selection that was subject to stunning trade offers from Adelaide and Richmond.
North stood firm to baulk at any external advances, no matter the wealth of picks on offer for their sole selection. But should an enticing package be on the table the Roos are seen to be more likely to work through negotiations for Pick 1 this year.
Should the Roos look to move their top selection, there are certainly a handful of scenarios that could see them gain multiple draft picks, or even players, in return.
Pick 1 hasn't been traded since 2001, with Fremantle parting with their place atop the draft board to lure Trent Croad and Luke McPharlin from Hawthorn, who received Picks 20 and 36 on top of the opening pick for the 2001 National Draft, where they were able to select four-time premiership great Luke Hodge.
Now it's unlikely we'll see a pair of packages swap hands like the Dockers and Hawks did 21 years ago, but there are several scenarios that the Roos could ponder.
Here we weigh up four scenarios that could see North Melbourne depart with Pick 1 for the 2022 National Draft.
SEE ALSO: Five trade targets for North Melbourne to consider
1. Scenario 1
Pick swap - Gold Coast Suns
Sydney are currently the only club that holds two first-round selections, having acquired Melbourne's opening pick following several trades during the off-season of 2021.
The combination of the two selections won't be enough to entice the Roos, but Sydney are unlikely to be the sole club with at least a pair of picks in the first round come draft night.
With the Suns now resigned to beginning negotiations with Adelaide in a deal that will send forward Izak Rankine back to South Australia, the Carrara club are destined to pocket the Crows' 2022 first-round selection currently priced at Pick 5.
While other assets are likely to swap hands in the deal, the end result is almost guaranteed to see the Suns hold two top 10 selections for this year's draft intake, a hand that is sure to be of interest to the Roos.
As raised in June this year, North Melbourne may be best placed to split their first selection given the midfield-heavy top-end of this year's draft class. The Roos have used their past six first-round picks on onballers and are now needing to look toward key-position prospects.
Instead of opting for the best player available and recruiting what will likely be another midfielder, North Melbourne could pull in the best key defender and one of the best key forwards of the same draft crop.
While the sky-rocketing talent of GWV Rebels forward Aaron Cadman could be off the board come Pick 5, fellow Victorian Matthew Jefferson is likely to still be up for grabs.
Jefferson could still be free for the Roos' taking at Pick 7 (the Suns' own selection), while top-rated key defender Jedd Busslinger is also seen in the 5-10 pick mix.
A trade of Pick 1 for Picks 5 & 7 between the Roos and Suns would help North's recruiting plan while also giving the Suns a handy rise up the order, with maybe another later selection or future pick also heading to the Queensland club.
