North Melbourne wish Jesse Smith had given them one last chance before deciding to change AFL clubs.

Smith, 23, is now at St Kilda after they picked him in last Thursday's national draft.

He has endured shocking luck with hamstring and ankle injuries and had cited frustration with North's old facilities and resources as a reason why he decided to leave the Kangaroos.

But the same day that the Saints presented Smith and their other new recruits to the media, North unveiled their impressive new Arden St headquarters.

"I really felt that Jesse was more a perception than a reality - you walk through here, you certainly see the facilities, we've employed some excellent people in that area," said new North coach Brad Scott.

"I tried to convince Jesse of that fact, but quite often the proof is in the pudding.

"He felt it would be two or three years down the track, but you can see today, we're here already prior to the 2010 season.

"That was a perception, this here today dispels that perception."

North captain Brent Harvey said Smith seemed more frustrated about having to go into the city for physiotherapy treatment, rather than the old facilities themselves.

But like Scott, Harvey said Smith should have stuck around.

"It would have been good if Jesse could be here for another six months," Harvey said.

Smith denied reports that he had considered retirement before putting himself in the draft.

"I'm very confident - I wouldn't have put myself in the draft if I wasn't confident I could get my body back up and ready to play, I'm really excited," he said.

"I was always going to put myself in the draft.

"Dave Misson (St Kilda fitness coach) has spoken to me a couple of times and there's not a time period on when I will be back playing.

"There's no pressure from that point of view, I've just got to do all the work and train really hard."

Smith admits the last couple of years have been tough as his body has continually frustrated his attempts to return to senior football.

"It definitely can get you down, I wouldn't be human if I wasn't getting a bit down on myself," he said.

The Saints have made big improvements in their medical and rehabilitation services over the last couple of years and they are confident they can help him return to full fitness.

"Jesse wouldn't have nominated for the draft, our conditioning and medical team wouldn't have ticked him off and we wouldn't have picked him if we didn't think that was the likely outcome," said coach Ross Lyon.

"(But) it's certainly not guaranteed."

St Kilda took Smith at No.60 and Lyon said the club's recruiters made the call.

"What happened at pick 60 is I turned around and said 'who are we taking?' and they said 'well, there's no-one there (young players) that we want to take - we want to take Jesse Smith'."

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP