“It’s super close”: North Melbourne skipper on selection conundrum

"Cooper Trembath has to play Round 1 doesn't he?"

That's been the chorus North Melbourne fans have been singing one and all in pre-season.

The club's selection in unofficial matches across the past fortnight casts doubt about where he sits, but captain Nick Larkey affirmed he's doing everything he can.

“He's right there in the mix," Larkey told Zero Hanger at AFL Captains' Day on Monday.

"It's super close, it's touch and go, it's a hard one. It's the first time we've had real selection pressure which is a good problem to have.

"He's not far away at all, his pre-season's been unbelievable, he's got some incredible attributes with the way he competes, I love training with him and watching him last year was special. He'll be a diamond in the rough for the footy club."

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Trembath started the Kangaroos' official intra-club match two weeks ago on the club's ‘B' team as North Melbourne went with a forward line of Larkey, Jack Darling and Callum Coleman-Jones.

The 2025 Mid-Season pickup was ultimately swapped onto the ‘A' team later in the match and brought his strengths: strong hands, leap and power.

Despite being so impressive that day many expected the outing to lock him into the Round 1 side, he played VFL in the club's practice match against Melbourne the following week.

Again, he was lively and pushed his case for a Round 1 berth.

Trembath's ability to play as a relieving ruck adds another string as the selection panel weighs up the side.

His strong practice match form follows his first pre-season at AFL level where he's improved his conditioning and fitness and has quickly established himself as a popular member of the playing group.

The work ethic and grit he needed to demonstrate to get himself onto a list after being overlooked in his top-aged year at Eastern Ranges has also shone through in summer according to those around the club.

“He's a high-marking, competitive (player) who we think can play at both ends," North Melbourne recruiting manager Will Thursfield said after Trembath was drafted, with those traits also growing across summer.

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After starting 2025 playing local footy while listed with North's VFL side, Trembath burst onto the AFL scene late last year, kicking three goals in each of his three AFL games.

In each of those three games, however, Larkey was injured.

With Larkey primed for 2026 and Darling also having a stranglehold on a position in the forward line, Trembath's position is no guarantee.

Powerful hybrid Cam Zurhaar could play as a third tall forward, complemented by livewires Paul Curtis and Lachy Dovaston and recruit Charlie Spargo. Matt Whitlock is another who will be pushing for AFL opportunities after kicking 5.0 and clunking marks in blustery intra-club conditions and again looking potent in last week's VFL hitout.

"His emergence has been amazing," coach Alastair Clarkson said of Trembath after the last game of 2025.

"He's a great kid who's worked so hard. We're so pleased he's been able to find a pathway to our footy club. How he's evolved over the last 12 months has been extraordinary and we hope he's only scratching the surface of what he's capable of doing at AFL level. 

"He's a big powerful boy who's only 20 years of age. Our fans should be pretty excited: we've been searching for a forward who can support Larkey and he only came into the side because 'Larks' went out so it's really exciting that those two will have a whole summer of training together and hopefully there's a lot of footy for him in the coming years."

There is little doubt that Trembath will feature heavily throughout 2026 given the productive start to his career.

But the Roos will have to weigh up whether to reward his strong summer and give him a full season given he appears destined to be a significant piece of the future - and could impact the present - or make him force his way in with irresistible VFL form.