North Melbourne coach Brad Scott says he’ll be interested in Jake Carlisle if the Bombers defender puts his hand up to leave the club.

Carlisle has been heavily linked to a move away from Essendon after three years of supplements scandal woes, with St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs among a host of interested AFL bidders.

Carlisle is out of contract in 2016 and it’s perhaps a sign of the white-hot interest around the 23-year-old that on Thursday, Scott made a direct pitch for his services.

AFL coaches regularly use very guarded language when discussing players at other clubs, particularly during the season.

But asked whether he was interested in the tall swingman, Scott gave his intention to compete for his signing.

“He’s one of the players we’d like to add,” he said, before qualifying his statement.

“Like every club we’re looking at all sorts of different options to improve our list.

“If the time comes that Jake decides he’d like to look at a fresh start then that’s the time we’ll drill down on that but as far as I’m aware that hasn’t happened yet.”

Speculation on Carlisle’s playing future ramped up this month when News Corp reported he yelled: “This club is f****d” during the Bombers’ round 19 capitulation to GWS.

Carlisle is one of the 34 current and past Essendon players still subject to the WADA appeal of the club’s supplements regime, with a hearing to take place in November.