NORTH Melbourne has expressed some interest in Fremantle’s free agent forward Chris Mayne, whom the Dockers expect to depart the club.

While sources suggest that Mayne isn’t a high priority for the Kangaroos, they have registered an interest in the 27-year-old forward, who can cross to the club of his choice at season’s end.

Since Mayne is out of contract and has not been in recent negotiations with Fremantle, the view is that he has secured a contract offer from another club and is likely to leave. But it is unclear which club has a contract offer on the table that Mayne is likely to take.

Should Mayne leave as a free agent, the Dockers will earn a compensation draft pick, likely to be from the second round onwards (ie, not a first round).

Round 18

The Dockers will need picks to trade for Hawthorn’s Brad Hill — who wants to come home to Perth and has met with the Dockers — and another young Western Australian, Giants forward Cam McCarthy.

Chris Mayne is expected to leave Fremantle. Picture: Daniel Wilkins. Source: News Corp Australia

While Mayne is not believed to be a priority for the Kangaroos, he does fit their policy of recruiting mature free agents while retaining their first-round draft picks for young talent.

The Roos have signed Nick Dal Santo, Jarrad Waite and Shaun Higgins as free agents over the past few post-seasons.

The Dockers have a detailed strategy to invest in the next four national drafts as part of the rebuilding of their list, but recruiting younger WA players from rival clubs — such as Hill, 23, and McCarthy, 21 — is seen as consistent with their rebuilding objectives.

North has a raft of veterans coming out of contract, whose futures will be decided at season’s end, with eight players aged 30 and over on their playing list.

The Roos will consider both the performance of those veterans and the team in making calls on whether individuals, including Dal Santo, Drew Petrie, Waite and Brent Harvey, are offered contracts for 2017.

Hill has met with Fremantle coach Ross Lyon, with the blessing of Hawthorn, which is expected to seek the best possible draft return for Hill, whose preference is to play with his brother Stephen at Fremantle.

West Coast is also a potential home for Hill, a triple-premiership player who has had some off-field indiscretions over the past 12 months.