With serious doubts about luring a ready-made quality power forward, the Western Bulldogs are planning a long-term solution to cure their problems in attack.

The Dogs will target key position players in November's AFL draft, seeking to add to last year's tall timber draftees of Jarrad Boumann and Jarrad Grant.

The lack of a power forward with sure hands and a sure foot hampered the Bulldogs in their preliminary final defeat to Geelong, but they understand the chances of an instant fix are remote.

"In an ideal world, we need that ready-made player," Bulldogs football manager James Fantasia said.

"But in the real world, tell me how many key-position players are in the market place right now and even if you went through the whole competition, the ones who are of any ability and they're under contracts, clubs are not going to let them go."

Dogs coach Rodney Eade said Sydney's Barry Hall was not an option.

"I think that's highly unlikely to be honest," Eade told the Ten Network.

"He's under contract, he's spoken to me, he'd prefer to stay in Sydney, that's what he wants to do.

"From our point of view it's another dead-end at the moment."

Eade also said the club was preparing to use their first round pick, No.14, to snare young ruck prospect Ayce Cordy as a father-son selection.

The highly rated teenager has attracted interest from at least two other clubs, with St Kilda reportedly willing to part with their first pick, No.13.

If a rival club wants a father-son prospect, the nominating club must use its next choice in the draft to secure him.

"He did a pre-season last year with us for a couple of weeks and he's done a bit of training, but we certainly expect we'll have to give up our first round for him," Eade said.

In contrast to the Dogs, North Melbourne are preparing to head down a different road at the draft and will select the best players available at their turn.

Despite lacking midfield depth, as well as a tall defender, North football manager Donald McDonald said the most talented player on offer could be the answer to the club's structural problems.

"Get the best player available at our pick, it's the smart thing to do," McDonald said.

"You've just got to get talented players into your club.

"That's not to say once our guys have sat down prior to the draft they might come up with a different strategy but as it stands now, we're just going to go out there and pick the best player.

"People say your midfield isn't your strength, why not put another good player into that area but they don't have to specifically be a midfielder.

"You look at Luke Hodge. Everyone would say Hawthorn's defence needs bolstering but would anyone have said Luke Hodge was a centre half-back?

"He's a midfielder but because he's such a good player, good players can adapt."

McDonald said the club was keen to keep all their picks in the draft as this will be the last uncompromised draft before the introduction of the new Gold Coast franchise.

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