North Melbourne has had one of the most drawn out and arduous list builds of the 21st century. Right alongside Melbourne, which was a basket case from 2008 until 2017 when the Demons finished in ninth spot and finally moved on to bigger and better things.
The Kangaroos have been battered and beaten since they infamously started an overhaul of their list at the end of 2016.
Four of North Melbourne's senior players "retired" with Brent Harvey, Nick Dal Santo, Michael Firrito, Farren Ray, Daniel Wells (to Collingwood) and Drew Petrie (West Coast) leaving the club, while a further three were delisted. The Roos then lost veterans Andrew Swallow and Lindsay Thomas the following year as the deep cut continued.
What happened next was a slow decline before six years of bottom three finishes from 2020-25, including two wooden spoons. But in 2026, the Roos' heart has started to beat again and their talent through the midfield is clear with Tristan Xerri, Harry Sheezel and Luke Davies-Uniacke dominant and young guns George Wardlaw and Finn O'Sullivan impressing.
North Melbourne's forward line mix of captain Nick Larkey, emerging tall Cooper Trembath and smalls Lachy Dovaston, Paul Curtis and Charlie Spargo is also strong.
That leaves defence as the major concern for the club if it is to rise out of the doldrums and give its fans hope of contesting for flags like the Kangaroos did in the 1990s.
To do that, North Melbourne needs a certified high-quality key defender to lockdown the opposition's best key forward and partner Charlie Comben in defensive 50. So who are the best options that the Roos should target in the 2026 trade period?
2Mark Keane (Adelaide)
Keane is still 2-4 weeks away from returning from his gruesome leg injury he sustained earlier in the year. But the football world saw what he did for a minor premiership-winning Adelaide side last year.
The 26-year-old defender has had a storied first eight seasons in the AFL. Having arrived from County Cork in Ireland, he proceeded to play for Collingwood in five games across three seasons before living the final year of his contract back home due to the pandemic.
He returned to Australia in 2022, signed for Adelaide and built himself into a consistent, tough and competitive key defender, but whispers are circling he wouldn't mind returning to Melbourne.
North Melbourne would love his competitive and fiery side that has seen him clash with opposition and teammates alike.
Still in his mid-20s, Keane is also in the perfect age bracket to play at Arden Street for the next six years or more; a period in which North Melbourne will be expecting to be fighting for a flag.
Contracted until the end of 2028.
