North Melbourne coach Brad Scott has no idea whether he can land the big fish he needs to reach the AFL's deep end.
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With North's finals chances dashed after Sunday's nine-point loss to Adelaide, Scott knows exactly what his club needs: a better midfield.
Scott has tried to lure some top-line midfielders in recent seasons - namely Richmond's Dustin Martin and GWS' Josh Kelly - without success.
The Kangaroos are again on the hunt amid speculation they're chasing West Coast's Andrew Gaff and Port Adelaide's Jared Polec.
But Scott insists he doesn't yet know whether anyone will join his club.
"I have got no idea, absolutely no idea," Scott said after the loss to the Crows.
"We have been really consistent in saying it: we have people working behind the scenes on all of those things.
"But we just think it's unfair to talk about players who are currently contracted at other clubs - and everyone is until the 31st of October."
Scott's Roos sit in 10th spot, a win behind eighth-placed Geelong and Port Adelaide in ninth.
To sneak into the finals, North need both the Cats and Power to lose, and Scott's side must beat St Kilda and make up a 18 per cent on Geelong in the process.
Even for Scott, it's mission impossible.
"I reckon we still need to build our midfield," he said.
"And part of putting (captain) Jack Ziebell forward was to improve our competitiveness in our forward half but also to free up a spot for Jy Simpkin, Jed Anderson, Paul Ahern, to play in those (midfield) roles.
"We need to keep improving that (midfield) part of the ground because we have got some offensive scoring power and we have got some good key defenders.
"We just need to better compete for longer in and around the midfield."
Australian Associated Press
