North board approved mammoth Blakey offer amid police investigation

North Melbourne have prepared for all possible scenarios in Nick Blakey’s short-term future, after the club’s board approved an eight year, $12 million offer for him to join the Kangaroos while a police investigation continues into the Sydney Swans Pullman hotel allegations.

Blakey, who is poised to become one of the highest-paid players in the competition, on Friday nominated North Melbourne as his preferred destination.

The Kangaroos also consulted their AFLW players and kept them informed about the club’s pursuit of Blakey.

His relationship with the Swans soured while he and four other players were suspended by the club for a night of wild partying at Melbourne’s Pullman East hotel in August.

A separate Victoria Police investigation is ongoing after three women, working as exotic dancers, variously alleged they were sexually assaulted and touched inappropriately without consent.

No charges have been laid and all five Swans players who served season-ending club suspensions denied criminal wrongdoing.

One of those players, Riley Bice, is no longer subject of the investigation and is being treated as a witness. Blakey, Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner and James Jordon remain persons of interest in the investigation.

North Melbourne’s board, helmed by president Sonja Hood, and the executive led by Jen Watt, have done extensive due diligence on Blakey.

The fact the board signed off on the offer indicates the club is satisfied with the circumstances surrounding his recruitment.

The Kangaroos, when contacted by this masthead, declined to comment on how it would handle the trade in light of the police investigation.

The star defender’s management, North Melbourne and the Swans will spend the weekend attempting to thrash out the framework of a trade, which would deliver the Kangaroos a major recruiting breakthrough as they attempt to climb the ladder under new coach Jaymie Graham.

Blakey, who has five years to run on his Swans contract, met with Graham and attracted interest from several other clubs including Geelong and St Kilda.

The Kangaroos, where Blakey’s father John won two premierships, hold pick No.5 in this year’s national draft (to be No.6), a selection that looms as a significant bargaining chip in negotiations.

North are talking to three clubs; St Kilda, Carlton and Port Adelaide as they attempt to split pick five in order to get Blakey and contracted Adelaide defender Nick Murray through the door before next Wednesday’s trade deadline.