Former No. 1 mid-season pick among four axed by Roos

North Melbourne has delisted four players ahead of the 2024 season

NORTH Melbourne’s No. 1 selection from the 2021 mid-season rookie draft is one of four players to have been delisted by the Roos.

Jacob Edwards, who stands at 202cm, failed to play a game at the highest level despite spending two and a-half years on the list.

WHO’S CALLED IT QUITS 2023’s retirements and delistings

The 20-year-old ruck/forward was plucked from Sandringham Dragons as an overage player after starring at junior level.

Jai Newcombe (Hawthorn), Ash Johnson (Collingwood) and Patrick Parnell (Adelaide) were selected after Edwards in the 2021 mid-season intake.

Lachie Young, Flynn Perez and Phoenix Spicer were also told on Wednesday that they would not be offered contracts for 2024.

Young joined the Roos in 2020 and played 39 games in the royal blue and white after eight matches across two seasons for the Western Bulldogs.

Perez recovered from an ACL injury in his draft year in 2019 to make his AFL debut in round 16 of 2020, playing the final three games of the season. A second ACL injury saw him inactive throughout 2021, but he bounced back to play 16 senior games in 2022 and another five this season.

Spicer made his AFL debut in round 23, 2021, in his home state of South Australia after being drafted with a third-round selection in 2020. He went on to play a further 11 games, including a string of six in 2023.

North Melbourne’s general manager of football Todd Viney thanked the four players for their contributions to the club.

“We thank Lachie, Flynn, Phoenix and Jacob for all their efforts and their dedication to our program during their respective time at North Melbourne,” he said.

“It is always a tough time of year having to make these kinds of decisions around our list, and we wish all four men the best for their future endeavours.”