The Jason Horne-Francis trade saga has shaken up the off-season's trajectory, with the top pick now in play to make his way back to South Australia in a move to Port Adelaide.
The talented teenager was known to be unsettled, but even a confirmed request to Alberton wasn't foreseen, at least in 2022 anyway.
The situation has left both the Roos and North to begin negotiations in what is sure to shape as one of the biggest deals in the AFL's history, with multiple first-round selections from Port Adelaide seen as the start to intense talks.
But if the Kangaroos were set to seek personnel as part of the discussions, who could be raised as part of these talks?
We take a look at five players North Melbourne might target in their trade talks for Jason Horne-Francis.
2. Todd Marshall
Would quickly answer North Melbourne's key-position forward needs, with the club desperately requiring a partner to first-string forward Nick Larkey.
Marshall enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2022, emerging as arguably the league's best set-shot on his way to booting 45 goals from 21 games.
Like Butters, it seems extremely unlikely the Power open talks to involve Marshall, with their preference likely to hold out on Horne-Francis for another 12 months than part ways with a key piece of their system.
A Murray Bushrangers product, Marshall is another Power import that could consider a switch back to the east coast, but how highly Port Adelaide rate their young key-forward is sure to be a sticking point in any trade discussions.
