Ayden Kennedy Biography

North Melbourne has rewarded young key position player Ayden Kennedy with a new one-year contract extension.

Kennedy has impressed at centre half-back in the VFL and Foxtel Cup after coming back from a knee reconstruction that saw him miss the whole of 2011.

"I've been really happy to play 17 games in a row and even happier that my body is feeling really good now," Kennedy said.

"I was a bit worried about my knee earlier in the year. It was probably more mental than anything, but it took me a while to get confidence in it again when I returned to the track.

"But the more I've trained and the more I've played the better it has felt and it now feels as good as new."

Young North Melbourne player Ayden Kennedy suffered a big blow when rupturing his ACL last Saturday but has vowed to come back better in 2012.

"I just want to get it right and [a knee reconstruction] is going to bring it back to full strength and full health," he said.

"I'll be looking to come back bigger, stronger and fitter than I was ... and hopefully I'll go all right next year."