North Melbourne chairman Ben Buckley has defended the club’s aggressive approach to acquiring new players, and says the Roos won’t be taking a backward step anytime soon.

Having missed out on Andrew Gaff’s signature, Buckley says North will remain defiant.

“It’s not a kick in the guts, obviously it’s disappointing, but it’s not a kick in the guts,’’ Buckley said.

“We will remain as determined as ever, we won’t be persuaded to take a backward step, we will still be aggressive and assertive in going after players who are available.

“And just because we haven’t been successful with one or two high profile players today, it won’t mean we won’t keep turning up and having a crack.’’

Getting elite, proven talent to move clubs is no easy task, which is why Buckley says the Roos are taking positives out of recent negotiations.

“I look at it this way, two high-profile players, one was Martin, one was Gaff, both key players in premiership winning teams, both of those players indicated the only other club they’d go to other than their own was North Melbourne,’’ he said.

“We know it’s very hard to get players to leave their clubs, particularly clubs in a premiership window, so the fact the only club they were considering other than their own was North, I think is testament to where the club was at.

“I don’t buy they rejected North, they just chose to stay in an environment which was very dear to them and they were very loyal to in the end.

“But if they had chosen to go, they would’ve chosen to come to us and that’s a very positive thing.’’

Meanwhile North is encouraged by the development of its young, emerging stars.

“I’m very confident our list has made really, really strong progress this year,’’ Buckley told the Herald Sun.

“I am confident we’ll add to it over the next few weeks and we will add to it in future years as well.’’