North Melbourne coach David Noble has revealed how his club was able to nab Hugh Greenwood from the Gold Coast Suns.
After Greenwood was strategically delisted by the Suns last Wednesday, North swooped on Friday before finalising a deal on Monday.
It was a less than traditional recruitment which did not involve North’s list management.
Noble was alerted to Greenwood’s availability by his wife Sarah who notified the Roos head coach after the initial Suns delisting was reported.
“I think we’re all in that scenario at this time of year where you manoeuvre the list around,” Noble said on Sportsday.
“So it’s not surprising. We’ve currently got Jared Polec in the same position with us.
“But it wasn’t until Friday (when it happened). I read the news and I didn’t have any lead-in before that.
“I was just about boarding the plane and my wife sent me a text saying, ‘You should jump onto AFL.com.au’. I can’t take all the credit. She was very sleuth in her observations.
“I rang him Friday and it escalated from there.”
The former Adelaide head of football and Brisbane GM had a previous relationship with Greenwood which he admits helped enormously in pulling off what some have described as grand larceny.
Noble was involved in the recruiting of the former New Mexico Lobos basketballer to the Crows as a Category B rookie in 2015. He also attempted to bring Greenwood to the Lions before he joined Gold Coast in late 2019.
“I’ve known Hugh now for the best part of 10 years and put a lot of time and effort into Hugh,” he added.
“Myself and Hamish Ogilvie (Crows recruiting manager) a fair few years ago flew over to the (United) States and tracked him for a long time. I worked with him closely at Adelaide.
“People may not know that Brisbane were pretty close to getting him when he went to the Gold Coast. I’d spoken to him there as well, so I think it only happens as quick as it did because I’ve got such a strong relationship with Hugh and I know him so well, I know his character, I know what he brings.
“I love his footy, he’s elite in tackling, contested ball and clearances. It’s a great fit for our football club.”
Tasmanian product Greenwood, 29, has signed a two-year deal with the option of a third at Arden Street.
He has played 83 AFL games, 51 with the Crows and 32 with the Suns.