Former Tantanoola footballer Toby Pink could re-enter the upper echelons of the AFL as he has been linked with the North Melbourne Kangaroos.

The 25-year-old defender enjoyed an outstanding season with SANFL zone club Glenelg and was a key part of their premiership side last month.

His status is de-listed free agent.

He was chosen by the Sydney Swans in the 2016 rookie draft and then spent three seasons in the Harbour City without playing an AFL game.

The former Millicent High School student spent the 2016 school year as a boarder at Rostrevor College in Adelaide but did come home for one mid-season A Grade game and one Senior Colts game with the Tantanoola Tigers.

The Pink family including his father Michael and mother Ali and brothers Toby and Hamish are all involved in the sporting community at Tantanoola.

There have been several talented players from Millicent and district clubs since World War II who have distinguished themselves in the leading SANFL, VFL and now-AFL competitions based in Adelaide and Melbourne.

The well-worn path to the AFL in recent decades has been through the national draft with such local names as Ryan Gamble (chosen by Geelong in 1995), Tom Hutchesson (GWS Giants, 2019), Pat Contin (Richmond, 2009 rookie draft), Andrew Balkwill (Carlton, 1996), Eugene Warrior Junior (Adelaide Crows, 1993) and current players Mason Redman (Essendon, 2015) and Jordan Dawson (Swans, 2017) having their names called out on this key selection day.

Among the former Tantanoola players who have gone on to the SANFL in the post-war years have been father-and-son Ron and Tom Hateley (South Adelaide), Luke Panozzo (Glenelg and Sturt), Nathan Kane Bell (Glenelg) and Nick Pearce (Sturt).