North Melbourne took key defender Blake Thredgold to Arden Street with its second selection in the 2025 Telstra AFL Draft. Here are five things to know about the Roos' No.26 pick. 

1. He's a draft slider

Several clubs were tracking the South Australian after he delivered a huge finish to his Under-18s season, so many pundits had tipped the tall defender to be snapped up in the 2025 Telstra AFL Draft's first round.

A hand injury suffered early in his draft year perhaps kept him a little off the radar, and when he was surprisingly overlooked on Wednesday night, the Kangaroos had no hesitation in making him their target for their second-round selection.

A quality key back will have been high on North Melbourne's shopping list, and the club's recruiting team were evidently delighted to secure a player of his quality and potential.

2. If he doesn't beat you in the contest, he'll intercept

Though he is a genuine key position player at 194cm, Thredgold mixes a huge leap with a blistering turn of pace. At the national Draft Combine, he placed seventh in the 20m sprint (2.92s) as well as equal fourth in the running vertical jump (89cm) and equal eighth in the standing vertical jump (71cm).

It's no surprise then, that he's tough to beat in aerial contests, while also having the acceleration to make critical intercepts, and close down opponents on the lead.

3. He's a big-game player …

A broken hand left Thredgold watching on while Sturt began their title-winning SANFL under-18 campaign, but he returned to impress in a series of key contests at the back end of the season.

After finishing the regular season strongly, he turned heads with a sensational U18 finals series. It was capped by a best afield performance in Sturt's Grand Final win over West Adelaide which featured 12 marks along with 14 disposals, earning him the Alan Stewart Medal.

4. … and he loves a big match-up

In three of his last four under-18 games this year, Thredgold was handed the intimidating task of playing on West Adelaide key forward Mitch Marsh, who became an Adelaide player on Wednesday night after the Crows selected him at pick No.22.

Marsh kicked three goals on Thredgold in their match-ups in Round 18 and the semi-final, but Thredgold said he thrived on the challenge.

"I found that match-up awesome,” he said in an interview with Craft the Draft. "To play on a really good competitor … brought out the best in me, and I was always looking at how to perform better against him."

When they met for a third time in the Grand Final, Thredgold blanketed the big forward, keeping him goalless with just five touches. 

5. He's tough mentally as well as physically

When his broken hand sidelined him for the early part of South Australia's title-winning under-18s campaign, Thredgold used the time productively. 

While doing everything to physically recover from the injury, he also invested in developing a positive mentality, embracing meditation and other techniques.

"I worked a lot mentally and physically to get over (the injury) so I would come back feeling really strong and feeling like I had done the work, and I was mentally prepared," he said.

"I found figuring out how to be the defender I want to be was a big challenge of my year.

"And I found out how I wanted to play during the break - a lockdown player who also intercepts as a key defender that can run off the ball.

"I want to be the best I can be, physically and mentally and help my teammates in any way I can.

"I think I can be a very reliable defender who can work, works very hard, and can develop into a, hopefully a long term key defender."