“When you’re in a town where there’s multiple teams you don’t have that bargaining chip that Geelong has or that a Sydney might have,” he said.

“So,for me,the only way if you’re a Melbourne side to then regenerate and put yourself back up the ladder for a consistent period of time is to go to the draft. So,I think it’s the right move. Sometimes it’s hard to move players on,but they needed to create space for young kids to come in and give them opportunities to play.”

Lewis was at the launch of a program whereby retired stars will return to suburban and country football clubs to play games as fundraisers for the clubs.

He said his former coachAlastair Clarkson’s latest outburst at a reporter that prompted an apology from the now North Melbourne coach was just part of the ‘Clarkson package’,but trusted colleagues like Todd Viney and Brett Ratten at the Kangaroos would tell him when he needed to back off.

“I think he is aware of where he falls down in those areas. But a lot of the time he gets into trouble you can’t anticipate what’s going to happen and how he reacts to certain situations,” Lewis said.

“That is what North Melbourne[would love] and what we loved at Hawthorn is that he will go in to bat for his players every single time,so at least that is a consistent part of the way he has held himself. So,I think it is part of the package.

”It’s what we admire about him but sometimes he clearly lets himself down in some areas,” Lewis continued. “Todd and Ratts are certainly two people that understand when to push back and when to let him[Clarkson] have his way.”

Lewis,who was also part of the external review process at Essendon last year and then the coaching panel that appointed Brad Scott,said it was clear Scott was the right person to coach the Bombers.

“They needed someone with strong character and,in my opinion,needed someone with experience and Brad,for me,ticked those two boxes,” he said.

“Even when he entered the room to be interviewed you could just see there was a presence about him. And I think big clubs need that. Especially a club that we ask a lot of,but they haven’t necessarily delivered in recent times.”

He said Scott’s presentation demonstrated he understood the Bombers needed a better defensive system to allow them to attack.