Nathan Grima – returning from knee injury – did not play with Werribee in 2009
Grima was rookie-listed by North Melbourne at the start of the 2008 season after representing the Central District premiership team in 2007.
The 23 year-old is known for strength in marking contests and great athleticism despite his height (193cm).
After impressing in early training sessions with North Melbourne, Grima hyper-extended his knee in marking exercise in February and looked in danger of losing his spot on the North Melbourne list.
But the Kangaroos still saw the potential in Grima and took a remarkable step by promoting him to their senior list at the end of 2008 and the versatile defender will be looking to repay the faith in 2009.
Leigh Adams– returning from knee injury – did not play with Werribee in 2009
Adams was elevated from the rookie list after showing outstanding form in the VFL for Tasmania in 2007. He made his debut in the Kangaroos’ round five win against Geelong as a crumbing forward and followed up with a match against Sydney. He then returned to the VFL, where he played predominantly as an in-and-under midfielder, winning Tasmania's best and fairest and a spot on the Roos senior list for 2008.
However a devastating knee injury received while playing for North Melbourne's VFL affiliate Werribee, sidelined him for the rest of the year. Initially it was hoped he would only miss a handful of weeks but scans revealed he had torn his anterior cruciate ligament off the bone and required a full knee reconstruction.
After several months of rehabilitation in the gym, Adams joined his Kangaroos team-mates for the 2009 pre-season.
Nathan O’Keefe – Recruited via 2008 National Draft
O'Keefe came to the TAC Cup late in the season but excited with his strong marking up forward for the Eastern Ranges.
The 193cm tall forward averaged three goals a match in seven games for the Ranges and was selected with North Melbourne's third round selection in the National Draft.
O'Keefe will be looking to add some bulk to his light frame in the pre-season in order to feature in 2009
Rob Tarrant – now aligned to Werribee, after being aligned to North Ballarat in 2008
North Melbourne’s first selection in the 2007 National Draft, Robbie Tarrant has been touted as one of the future stars of the club.
The 196cm athletic forward and brother of Chris was struck down by a shoulder injury early in the season playing for North Ballarat, but fought back to be an emergency in the Roosters’ Grand Final win against Port Melbourne.
Tarrant looked like he was hitting peak fitness but again succumbed to a shoulder injury during pre-season and underwent surgery again in preparation for 2009.
Jack Ziebell – recruited via 2008 National Draft
Ziebell was North Melbourne’s first round draft selection at the 2008 National Draft, after surprisingly slipping through to pick 9.
A 188cm midfielder, he has excellent skills by foot and is tough in the contest. He has strong leadership skills, and is expected to be a future leader of the North Melbourne Football Club.
Hailing from the Murray Bushrangers, Ziebell was prolific in his team’s TAC Cup premiership averaging 18 possessions and two goals a game. He also represented Victoria Country at the NAB Under 18 AFL Championships and gained All-Australian honours.
Sam Wright – recruited via 2008 National Draft
North Melbourne’s second round selection in the 2008 National Draft, Wright played in the Murray Bushrangers premiership team in the TAC Cup.
Standing at 188cm, Wright is a versatile utility who can play forward, midfield or down back. After starting the season up forward for the Bushrangers, Wright was pushed to half-back and it saw an immediate increase in his work rate and consistency. He went on to play a significant role in the Bushrangers Grand Final win.
Wright averaged 18 disposals and one and a half goals a game after playing every match in 2008.
Last Modified on 24/02/2009 18:48