North Melbourne is interested in adding veteran talent to their list in the upcoming trade period and Port Adelaide star Ollie Wines is someone they will target, according to AFL Media’s Cal Twomey.
Wines, who has two years to run on his contract with Port Adelaide, has accepted a lesser role in the side in recent years given the emergence of Connor Rozee, Jason Horne-Francis, Zak Butters and Willem Drew.
The struggling Kangaroos meanwhile only have four players on their list 28 or older, following the departures of Ben Cunnington, Jack Ziebell, Todd Goldstein and Aaron Hall.
“One they do have interest in is Ollie Wines who torched them on the weekend,” Twomey told the Gettable podcast.
“My understanding is they do have interest in Wines who has two years to go on his deal at Port, so it would have to be a long-term offer to even tempt him, really.
“But there is a link there with Todd Viney. The Viney and Wines families are very, very tight dating back to their draft year in 2012.
“Would he want to leave Port or would they let him go, I’m not sure, but (North) is interested and they’re also interested in a few others and it’s something they need to do.”
Hawthorn champion Luke Hodge floated this exact move on SEN a fortnight ago, saying Wines would be the perfect person to lead the Roos off the canvas.
“Does North Melbourne go and throw him a four or five-year deal on a lot of cash to bring him over to try and teach them?” Hodge told SEN’s Sportsday.
“He has been an on-field leader, his professionalism is second to none, he’s played a lot of different positions and he’s been big enough to step aside and let Rozee, Butters, Drew and Horne-Francis to jump into his midfield – it was his midfield, he was captain, and now he’s playing on the wing.
“So, he’s been selfless enough to move for the benefit of the team, that is a big attribute to bring to a North Melbourne team that probably lack some older guys.
“His mindset there wouldn’t be to go and get 35 touches, it would be to teach them a few tricks and set standards and other things.
“The person who sets the culture will set it for the defenders, the forwards, will set it for the midfielders.
“He’s just as much there for the off-field and to teach the guys.
“They’ve had a lot of draft picks, teach them how to play AFL footy. That’s why I would be targeting him.
“What’s in it for him? He could change the culture of the club. In five years’ time if they’re back playing finals, he might be there, he might not, but he’s gone there and changed the culture of the team.”
Wines and the Power host Carlton at the Adelaide Oval this Thursday night.