Perspective.
Cooney recently turned 29 and has played 40 of the last 49 games and averaged over 20 possessions and a little under a goal a game.
That would be more than Ziebell, Greenwood up there with Wells and Swallow and certainly more than Harper, McKenzie, Jacobs.
Last year North needed class, experience and some outside players.
Whilst Dal Santo, Higgins and Cooney (who has a little of his burst speed) are certainly not line breaking, it is class and time and decision making and experience and hitting targets and building those chains of possession.
It is also probably good for all parties including Harper. I would also be playing a Mullett, Bastinac, Turner, Nahas and even Adams over Harper forward of centre.