North Melbourne Kangaroos News

North Melbourne midfielder Levi Greenwood says the faith of coach Brad Scott has helped him improve as a footballer.

"Brad puts a lot of confidence in everyone to go out and have a crack. You don't feel like you're held back. At the start of the year I was tagging a bit but now in the last few games I've been told to go out there, win your own ball and see what happens because that's what he wants me to become in the end, a ball-winning midfielder," Greenwood said.

"It's good to get the leash off and have a bit of a run around and try to get my own ball."

Kangaroo Corey Jones will play his final AFL match this Sunday against Melbourne at the MCG after announcing his retirement.

"Corey's been exceptional in the VFL this year and he's only been kept out of the side by some players who have been a little bit ahead of him," Kangaroos coach Brad Scott said.

"The way he has handled himself this year has been absolutely exceptional."

North Melbourne's Sam Wright is the round 21 nominee for the NAB AFL Rising Star award after kicking four goals from 16 disposals against the Eagles.

"In the future I'd like to play midfield and go forward but obviously I've got to get stronger and work on a few areas. I definitely want to move into the midfield at some stage in my career," Wright said of his ambitions.

North Melbourne coach Brad Scott says that small forward Lindsay Thomas can't perform with the knee injury he's carrying and will have to go for surgery to fix it.

"He trained well, he looked good, but he hasn't been able to get to heights he produced earlier this year, and it is holding him back," Scott said.

"It's a fairly minor operation. It might only keep him out for three to four weeks, but he just can't perform at the moment."

Brent Harvey says he is keen to play on to watch North Melbourne's young list develop.

"You look around, we've got the new facility, a fantastic new coach, great coaching staff, and a bunch of youngsters who want to learn," Harvey said.

"In the next couple of years we can achieve something pretty special. I'm definitely playing next year. I just got the contract so that's great. After that ... hopefully Brad [Scott] still thinks I'm going okay and we'll take it from there."

Leigh Matthews launches a scathing attack on the work ethic of young Docker Stephen Hill while being tagged by Kangaroo Brady Rawlings.

"Confronted with Rawlings as his direct opponent, it appeared that Hill fell for the trap of wanting to get space from his opponent, even when the Kangaroos had the footy," Matthews wrote in his column on the AFL website.

"The result was the most lopsided differential in contribution that I can recall seeing in a one-on-one duel - Rawlings stopped Hill, limiting the Dockers' linkman to a paltry seven disposals, a great result even if Rawlings did not touch the footy.

"That the Kangaroos vice-captain accumulated a game-high 39 disposals, including 30 uncontested gets, was a savage indictment on Hill's competitive mindset."

North Melbourne draftee Ryan Bastinac says his goal in 2010 was to play every game despite his young age.

"At the start of the year, I told myself I wanted to play every game. That was just a little goal of mine," Bastinac said.

"I knew I had a lot of work to do to get there and a lot of people thought I was kidding myself. I didn't really tell that many people except my family, and people like that.

"Dad was just like, 'Oh, well, it would be good to get a few games'. I said, 'Why can't I play all 22?'. That's what I want to get to, so I'm working as hard as I can to get that goal."

North Melbourne coach Brad Scott says youngster Jamie Macmillan will make his debut against Essendon this week.

"That's terrific for Jamie, a young Scotch College boy so he's increased the intelligence of our 22 dramatically," Scott said.

"He's had a really good month of VFL footy and he's ready to make his senior debut."

North Melbourne's Brady Rawlings has signed a new deal with the Kangaroos but wants to stay on one-year contracts for the rest of his career.

"I didn't want to be in a position where they wanted to move on to play younger guys," he said.

"I wanted to make sure that was clear before I talked any contracts. I think it's probably the right move from the club's perspective and from mine that from now on is a year-by-year scenario. I'm more than comfortable with that."

North Melbourne's Drew Petrie will have further surgery on his right foot after scans confirm it was re-injured on the weekend.

Petrie is not expected to play again for the rest of the 2010 season.

North Melbourne coach Brad Scott says his decision to play Drew Petrie this week was based on sound medical advice despite the Kangaroos vice captain clearly looking to be under duress against the Swans.

"He got medical clearance from the surgeon to play," Scott said.

"Obviously we wouldn't risk him if it was going to do any damage in the second half, but the medical guys were pretty confident he could go out and play full forward and when it became evident to me and probably everyone at the ground he just wasn't right we took him off."

Young North Melbourne midfielder Jack Ziebell says he hopes to recover from his broken leg in time for finals.

"It's pretty disappointing but I think it's part and parcel of footy these days...you get injuries and you have to deal with them," he said.

"I've just got to get back on the horse and just got to work really hard in rehab now and make sure I do everything right to get back and if we play finals, get back for that."

Jack Ziebell fractures his tibia in the same leg he broke in round 12 last year.

Teammate Todd Goldstein says Ziebell will overcome a second broken leg in two seasons thanks to his mental toughness.

"He might find it a bit tough but he's a strong player," Goldstein said.

"Mentally, for a young guy he's very strong so I think he'll bounce back fine from it. He'll just have to do his rehab and get back as soon as possible."

After a 24-possession game in North Melboure's win against the Power, Cruize Garlett believes the signs are good for the Kangaroos' future.

"We've got a pretty young midfield, so all the boys are contributing pretty well in there," Garlett said.

"There's a bright future here with Cunners [Ben Cunnington], [Ryan] Bastinac and Andrew Swallow leading the way, and Brent Harvey's really helping the boys out, so that's been great as well."

North Melbourne champion Wayne Carey says he is thrilled with his induction into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.

"A few people have [talked] to me about this two-year wait, but I met [dual Brownlow Medallist] Peter Moore for the first time about three weeks ago at a function and he only got inducted [a few] years ago," Carey said.

"Looking around this room it's just a huge honour to be inducted and I would have been more than happy to wait five years. I'm thrilled to be standing here now."

North Melbourne vice-captain Drew Petrie will have surgery on Tuesday night to repair another serious foot injury after playing just his first game for the year against Fremantle.

"It felt a bit odd when I was warming down after the final siren and the alarm bells started ringing when I realised how similar the pain was to when I injured my left foot 11 or so weeks ago," Petrie said.

"I spoke to our medical staff and I had a CT scan which showed there was a tiny fracture in the fifth metatarsal ... so almost the same injury but on the opposite side."

Drew Petrie is happy to be back from injury, but was disappointed by the Roos' 61-point loss to Fremantle in his first game for the 2010 season.

"It was good to get through a game even though it was embarrassing with how we played and the result. Personally it was good to get the old feeling back of being out there amongst it," he said.

"I don't think you are a club man if you are not hurt after that. We are all embarrassed and that's the best word to sum up how we are feeling after that game."

Former Fremantle player Andrew Browne wins a landmark decision, believed to be worth about $40,000, after he argued he suffered psychologically as the result of being unable to overcome hamstring injuries.

Former North Melbourne great Wayne Schwass has praised the decision to compensate Andrew Browne for his bout with depression.

"I think we need to continually deal (with) and educate our playing groupcom, whether it be at club level or the entire playing group level, because they're human beings," Schwass said.

"And just because someone might be playing good footy, does not guarantee that they'll be making smart choices."

North Melbourne defender Scott Thompson talks to the Herald Sun about his confrontation with Barry Hall during the Kangaroos-Bulldogs clash when the burly forward had him in a stranglehold.

"I thought I was all right, but it soon became a pretty tight grip and I got a little scared, but he knew to let go," Thompson said.

"He had me across the neck and I was struggling to breathe, but I think Barry felt that as well and that's why he let go."

Thompson admits to deliberately trying to niggle Hall and says he will try to temper his penchant for getting under his opponents skin after the incident.

"The weekend's incident has brought home that I don't want to be seen as that sort of (dirty) player," he said.

"Some people can see that I may have taken it too far, but I just want to be hard at the ball and I think I can definitely learn from the weekend."

North Melbourne coach Brad Scott responds to Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade after the latter was critical of tactics used by Kangaroos players to unsettle his side.

"We had two players with severe head cuts, there were a lot of cheap shots off the ball all day and our players were very disciplined," Eade had said about the match between the two sides.

"I thought the discipline and our character showed through and that's why we had such a big win."

Scott took offense to Eade's comments, labelling them "disappointing".

"Comments made by Rodney Eade after the match suggesting our players took 'cheap shots' off the ball are categorically incorrect and disappointing from such an experienced coach," Scott said.

"They strike at the heart and integrity of our playing group; they are factually incorrect and are without foundation."

Carlton coach Brett Ratten has joined the Barry Hall debate, questioning the tactics used by Kangaroo Scott Thompson to rile the reported Bulldog.

Thompson was seen to niggle Hall as the forward doing up his shoelaces.

"I wouldn't like to to see my son doing it or being the one that's being hit - that's my answer," Ratten said.

"I think we have a responsibility as AFL clubs and the AFL to make sure nothing goes down through the grades. We're the role models for society on the field and off the field, and I think we have a responsibility there."

North Melbourne coach Brad Scott has defended the actions of full-back Scott Thompson, who was reported twice after his altercation with Bulldog Barry Hall.

"I thought he played the way a full-back should play," Scott said.

"He got a reaction out of the full-forward. I don't think Scotty did anything untoward at all."

North Melbourne coach Brad Scott knows from his playing days that Jason Akermanis has a habit of putting his teammates under pressure and believes he has done it again after a controversial article in the Herald Sun where Akermanis states that gays in AFL clubs should remain in the closet.

"He's put more pressure on his teammates," Scott said as North Melbourne prepare to play Akermanis' club, the Western Bulldogs.

"Aker's had a history of responding fairly well when he is under pressure, but I know his teammates wouldn't be happy, and I know that first hand."

Kangaroo defender Daniel Pratt says he is fitter and more confident after starting the season in the VFL.

"I think that's the best thing that could have happened for me, just to get that fitness and confidence back," Pratt said.

"It's probably showed in my footy in the last couple of weeks, being confident in my body and being able to compete really hard."

North Melbourne midfielder Jack Ziebell says he now has enough confidence in his healed leg he is able to play without a leg guard.

"He doesn't really need it because it's healed so well. Everyone could wear a guard like that and I'd be happier because then it would prevent everybody getting shin injuries," club doctor Con Mitropoulos said.

"He's now stopped wearing it and he's played footy with it off, so I'm quite happy with that. I knew that at some point he was just going to get frustrated with it and get rid of it."

North Melbourne looks set to provide Aaron Edwards with an opportunity to show he belongs in the club's long-term plans.

"We are certainly going to give him that opportunity," North Melbourne coach Brad Scott said.

"We are still looking for the ideal mix, but Aaron's talent and his performance last week suggests he will be around for a long time. He has had to really work hard for his spot ... so he's definitely hungry."

North Melbourne goalsneak Matt Campbell will miss the next six weeks after rolling an ankle while playing for the Kangaroos' VFL affiliate North Ballarat.

North Melbourne teenager Ryan Bastinac earns a rising star nomination after doing a stellar job tagging West Coast star midfielder Daniel Kerr while gathering 24 touches himself.

"I asked Brady (Rawlings) if he'd played on Kerr but he's never played on him. He always used to take Chris Judd but Michael Firrito has spent some time on him. I spoke to him for a while and he gave me some advice. It was good to learn from those guys," Bastinac said.

North Melbourne teenager Ryan Bastinac impresses coach Brad Scott after making sure dangerous Eagle Daniel Kerr stayed stone cold while tagging him.

"I must admit, he surprised me because it was a better performance than even I thought," Scott said.

"His game was outstanding. I can't recall...a third-game player playing as well as that on one of the great midfielders of the competition."

North's Drew Petrie has scotched rumours that his broken foot will keep him out for the entire season.

"I can categorically [say] there's only one break, the operation went very well, the screw's in there and it's going to take a few weeks to heal. That's it," he said.

"If anybody believes anything different or wants to make up anything different, come down to training on Friday and I'll show you my x-rays. The proof will be there."

North Melbourne coach Brad Scott says Liam Anthony has been encouraged to hunt more inside ball this year.

"We know he can accumulate a lot of possessions out on the ground through his work ethic," Scott said.

"But he has added another dimension to his game so far in that he can get inside and win the genuine contested ball."

North Melbourne vice-captain Drew Petrie will miss at least the first six weeks of the season after learning he needs surgery on his injured foot.

Last year's number 21 draft pick Ryan Bastinac has impressed at the club and is set to make his debut against Port.

"He's been picked on form," Kangaroos coach Brad Scott said.

"He's come in and been exceptional in all his training and in the games he's played so far, so we're really excited for Ryan and he is too."

Drew Petrie has fractured a bone in his foot and faces a longer stint on the sidelines than his current suspension.

"I thought I stepped on a sprinkler head on the oval but that was actually when the bone broke," Petrie explained.

"The instant pain was really sharp but then it went away."

"I was due to miss the first two games of the season through suspension anyway but it'll hurt not being able to play straight after that."

North Melbourne will start the 2010 season without Ed Lower after the midfielder broke his leg in the NAB Challenge match against Hawthorn.

"I was tackling a Hawthorn player and as I swung around my lower leg collided with someone's knee. It just felt like I got kicked in the ankle but then it got progressively worse over the next few minutes and then I knew something was wrong," Lower said.

North Melbourne assistant coach Darren Crocker says first round draftee Ben Cunnington will play next week's NAB Challenge match.

"He plays and trains with a bit of passion and urgency," Crocker said.

"He knows he's got areas he needs to work on, but you just like to see that in a kid who comes out and isn't overawed by who he's running around with or what he gets thrown into.

"If he applies himself like that, he can't go too far wrong."

North Melbourne has secured the services of promising youngster Jack Ziebell for a further three years.

"North Melbourne is where I want to play my football," Ziebell said.

"The group we have at the club is amazingly talented and I want us all to stick together because I believe we could be heading toward something pretty special in the near future."

After a big first season, North Melbourne midfielder Liam Anthony is expecting increased opposition attention in 2010.

"I got a little bit of attention in a few games last year but probably nothing compared to what I could get this year," he said.

"It will be really important to get a good fitness base so I can try to outrun them.

"I've had a talk to a few of the coaches about that sort of thing. I thought I finished the season off reasonably well last year and going into this year, I'm pretty confident of playing in the midfield."

Daniel Wells is recovering well from osteitis pubis according to club doctor Con Mitropoulos.

"[He's] doing extremely well with his groins and is on schedule for a game or two before round one," Mitropoulos said.

Defender Nathan Grima will be sidelined for five weeks as he recovers from a broken finger after a training mishap.

After just six weeks of training at North Melbourne, Majak Daw says he has plenty of hard work to do if he wants to play AFL football.

"I just have to work hard; impress the coaches that I'm ready to play. The harder you work the quicker things will happen for you, and it's going to be up to me and how badly I want to play the game," Daw said.

North Melbourne assistant coach Darren Crocker says Robbie Tarrant may get more opportunities playing in defence this year.

"We just wanted to give another string to Robbie's bow," Crocker said.

"He's played as a forward predominantly throughout his juniors. Having missed a fair bit of footy, we just felt that giving him a run across half-back may open up the door for him."

North Melbourne midfielder Leigh Adams escapes serious injury after teammate Hamish McIntosh fell across his reconstructed right knee.

"There were a lot of nerves when I hit the ground," Adams said.

"If this was going to be a second reconstruction its fair to say I would have been in a fair bit of trouble.

"I was rapt when doctor Con (Mitropoulos) told me it would only be two weeks because before that I thought the season was over for me."

Michael Firrito suffered an ankle scare during a pre-season camp on the Gold Coast but North Melbourne's club doctor says he'll be ready for the NAB Cup.

Firrito received a knock from teammate Ben Warren's knee during last Friday's training session, and rolled the ankle in the same incident.

North Melbourne coach Brad Scott embarks on a fact-finding mission in the United States by meeting with the national ski team, ice hockey outfit Buffalo Sabres and NFL team New England.

"I was interested in the next thing they're doing, that's now our intellectual property and will stay that way," Scott said.

"But it'll be interesting to see if the new innovations they're bringing in come into football.

"We've got to apply all those ideas we've got now."

North Melbourne captain Brent Harvey won't countenance talk of a rebuilding phase, saying the club has what it takes to finish top eight in 2010.

"I don't think there's time for being in a development phase, no matter how young or how old your group is. I've got pretty high expectations for this group," Harvey said.

"I'd be thinking finals football for sure. You're not going to sit back and say, 'We're not going to make the eight this year'. We've got to put expectations on us to think we will."

Second-year Kangaroo Jack Ziebell is already building a strong relationship with first round draft pick Ben Cunnington, his teammate in Vic Country's under-16 side in 2007.

"If I can help him in any way I can, I will try to do that and make him a better player," Ziebell said.

"I knew him pretty well and I was very happy to see him come to North because he was the kind of player we really needed. I'm sure he'll be fantastic for us."

North Melbourne youngster Jack Ziebell says his training form proves he has moved on from his 2009 injuries.

"Everything's holding together. I feel pretty fit for the first time in a long time. I've just got to get through the next four weeks and get to games. I'm very excited and raring to go," Ziebell said.

"I'm pretty sure we're on top of it now and will be ready to go round one."

Ben Cunnington's early detection of a hot spot on his right foot has avoided a stress fracture and a longer spell on the sidelines.

"I went home and started to feel a bit of pain in my foot," he said.

"Throughout the pre-season I'd been sore in my knees before, but when you wake up after a sleep you're alright. I woke up and I could still sort of feel it."

Majak Daw receives more than 1,300 Facebook friend requests within a couple of days of being taken by the Kangaroos in the 2010 NAB AFL Rookie Draft.

North Melbourne has praised the steady progress of Daniel Wells, but will be cautious in his rehabilitation after groin surgery.

"It was always going to be a fairly lengthy recovery period because of the surgery, but to his credit he has come through really well. He is building up his running now, which is really positive," North Melbourne football operations manager Donald McDonald said.

"We don't want to put a date on when we think he will play. (But) he will be right by the start of the season."

North Melbourne small forward Lindsay Thomas says the challenges of his 2009 season have only made him more determined after having to cope with better defenders in the absence of injured and retired teammates.

"Two years ago, when we had Shannon Grant in the team, Matt Campbell and I were getting the third or fourth [small] defender, which made it a bit easier for us.

"[Last season] we were getting the first and second defenders and it really tested us. I could have played better but, in saying that, it has just made me more determined to have a better season in 2010."

North Melbourne defender Scott Thompson earns a place in Champion Data's 2009 team of the year after the statistics reveal that he is one of the competition's most versatile defenders.

"I love football and I just want the football in my hands as much as possible," Thompson said.

"It doesn't matter whether you are a forward, a back, or a midfielder, you've got to try to win the footy and go hard at it, no matter where the ball is."

North Melbourne's Michael Firrito is confident consistency will return with the more football he plays as a defender in 2010.

"I played some good footy at times and then I'd go missing for a couple of weeks," he said.

"I guess I've always played down back a bit more where it's probably a bit easier to be consistent [than] going through the midfield."

For the first time, Drew Petrie will go into the season certain of which position his coach wants him to hold down and that is up forward.

"Brad (Scott) let me know that when we first had our meeting back in September. He said, 'I want you to play forward' so I was happy with that," Petrie said.

"All the training drills I've been playing as a forward. With blokes like Nathan Grima, Scott Thompson and Lachie Hansen being able to hold down key positions, it just allows me to have a crack in the forward half."

Daniel Motlop had no hesitation in supporting Dean Laidley's move to Port Adelaide, despite the pair's acrimonious history when he left North Melbourne to join the Power.

"The club spoke to me and asked, 'what if we got Dean over here? Would it be awkward?' and I said 'no' . . . He's a great coach and a quality person," Motlop said.

"Dean was good to me at North Melbourne and I enjoyed my time with him. I've always said he's a good coach - probably the best I've had."

Majak Daw will become the AFL's first Sudanese-born player after North Melbourne selected him in the NAB AFL Rookie Draft.

"He's bloody exciting to watch. We had people rocking up just to watch him," Daw's coach at the Murray Bushrangers, Steve Kretiuk said.

"He's such a quiet kid but he does listen. He does work hard at training and he's got that desire to succeed.

"He's a pillar of the community now. So many people look up to him, which is great for a kid at that age."

North Melbourne assistant coach Darren Crocker believes the club can develop Daw's potential.

"We were really keen to get Majak through the door, firstly because of the potential he shows as a future AFL player," Crocker said.

"Majak would be the first to admit that he's got certain areas of his game that he has to really work hard on, but we'll really back our development program in to have him fulfil his potential and play senior football for North Melbourne."

Former North Melbourne midfielder Daniel Harris is certain be thrown a lifeline by Gold Coast in Tuesday's NAB AFL Rookie Draft.

"As part of our philosophy, we're certainly going to bring some AFL experience onto our list with our first five picks in the rookie draft," Gold Coast recruiting manager Scott Clayton said.

"Certainly Daniel Harris fulfils that criteria. We're keen - if he survives the pre-season draft - to get him onto our rookie list as a mature-age rookie."

Brayden Norris talks about getting drafted by North Melbourne in the 2009 NAB Draft.

"I was so stoked. I was nervous leading into the draft and I was shaking for about an hour after it," he said.

"They took the maximum amount of time to pick me. It seemed like ages and then my name popped up on the screen.

"The professionalism is huge. Even at training they go hard like it's a game, with tackling and full contact. It's just another step up, which is good. Hopefully I can better my footy this way."

North Melbourne midfielder Daniel Wells has started running again after undergoing groin surgery at season's end.

Wells will enter 2010 on a strictly modified program and sit out the NAB Cup.

"It's a good step, a positive step," he said.

"It's been frustrating but with the injury I had last year and the season I had, I'm pretty keen to get it right.

"I'm not rushing it too much. The boys are training super hard so I know I've got a lot of work to do."

After finally getting a correct diagnosis on his thumb, Aaron Edwards says he is in his best ever physical condition.

Edwards was booked in for surgery when a CT scan showed a chipped bone and frayed ligament in his thumb. X-rays had initially failed to identify any serious damage earlier in the year.

"I'm lighter than I've been since I've been to the club and I'm running better times in all the time trials," Edwards said.

"I feel that I'm in better shape than previous years so I've got to keep on going in that direction."

St Kilda coach Ross Lyon says if Jesse Smith changes the way he runs he can avoid further hamstring ad ankle troubles.

"We know it is about a range of movement and our people are confident they can expand his range of movement," Lyon said.

North Melbourne coach Brad Scott says his team's new state-of-the-art training facility will put pressure on the side to perform.

"It really does add a little bit of pressure to perform but I think that's a good thing," he said.

"We play in an environment and an industry where pressure is part of it. We have equal opportunity if not better than most [clubs], so those excuses are gone. I think the players are going to thrive on the challenge."

St Kilda believes it has all the resources needed to manage former Kangaroo Jesse Smith's chronic injuries after picking him up in the 2009 national draft.

"We've got really strong support from our medical team that they think they can get Jesse up," St Kilda's general manager football and list management Matthew Drain said.

"We think our medical team from the past two years has been really strong with our injury rate so that's a challenge for them. If we can get him up, he's a top 10 pick."

Former Kangaroo Jesse Smith says St Kilda's track record with managing injuries will revive his AFL career.

"I'm very confident the Saints can help with my problems," he said.

"They have had a decrease in a lot of their injuries over the last couple of years since David Misson has got there.

"It's good to go to a new club with a clean sheet and some new ideas. I'm really excited. I can't wait to get down there and see what plans they have for me, because I really want to get into it and try to get my body nice and strong again."

North Melbourne's David Hale vows to repay the faith shown in him by new coach Brad Scott after a disappointing 2009 season.

"You obviously want to be playing your best and helping the team out and all that sort of stuff. It wasn't ideal but that's how it goes. How you come out of it is probably the main thing," Hale said.

"With a new coach and everything else, including the new facility, it's obviously a fresh start for everyone."

North Melbourne midfielder Liam Anthony is set to miss the next two months of pre-season training after severing a tendon in his finger.

Anthony gouged his left ring finger after bumping an uncovered glass lamp outside an Albury hotel room at the weekend.

Robert Tarrant believes his shoulder problems are behind him after a positive prognosis from the surgeon.

"When I did my shoulder the last time, I was sceptical whether I was actually going to get another contract," Tarrant said.

"But to get two years was a massive show of faith. The club has done absolutely everything it can for me, and, hopefully, now I can begin to repay them."

Adam Simpson starts getting accustomed to life as an assistant coach for Hawthorn.

"North Melbourne and Hawthorn have always had a good rivalry and I've definitely enjoyed playing Hawthorn. It always makes for a good game," Simpson said.

"It's funny to coach some of the players you've played on."

North Melbourne defender Daniel Pratt believes a new attitude and a new coash will help him rediscover his aggression.

"I was playing my best footy when I was aggressive and really pushing things to the limit on the field and finding the right balance with that," he said.

"Getting the anger back that helps me play my best footy ... I'm really looking forward to it. I feel like I got it back after a couple of training sessions."

North Melbourne has appointed Shane Watson as backline coach and Jason Lappin as a development coach.

"Both appointments are very much in line with our philosophy to create the best learning and development environment in the AFL," North Melbourne coach Brad Scott said.

"Shane comes very highly regarded and has a tremendous ability to coach young players.

"Jason was extremely impressive throughout the interview process and he brings an intimate knowledge of AFL footy through his experience at the Western Bulldogs. [He] brings a terrific mix to our football club."

Former North Melbourne defender Jesse Smith has started training with Hawthorn ahead of this month's NAB AFL Draft.

"The Hawks are pleased to provide Jesse with an opportunity to train ahead of the 2009 AFL national draft," general manager player personnel and strategy Chris Pelchen said.

"We appreciate that he has been restricted by injury over the past season and will undertake a modified training program accordingly."

Wayne Carey admits to threatening umpire Darren Goldspink with violence in his new autobiography after being frustrated with negating tactics by Port Adelaide's Stephen Paxman.

"I called him a mongrel and a weak prick and everything in between. I totally lost my cool. 'Can't you see what's going on? He's not here to play football, he's trying to wrestle me to the ground. Is there any chance of a bit of protection just once today?''' Carey wrote in his book.

"In fact, he came back at me by saying, 'Get a kick, Carey. What are you f------- whingeing to me about'.

"That made me see red. It was bad enough that I wasn't being paid a free kick. But to have Goldspink start sledging me on top of that, well that was too much to bear. It was deadset on. I said to him: 'I'd bash you're f------- head in if I wasn't on this ground, you f----- weed.'"

New Hawk Josh Gibson says his former North Melbourne teammates have been understanding of his change of clubs.

"It was a little bit tough but I've got a lot of friends there and the players were fantastic about it. I still speak to them regularly and they understand my decision," Gibson said.

Glenn Archer will take up a part-time role helping North Melbourne's defenders in time for the 2010 season.

"If a little bit of Glenn Archer can be instilled into members of our playing list the rewards will be plentiful for this club," North Melbourne chief of football Donald McDonald said.

North Melbourne has delisted Daniel Harris, Sam Power, Matt Riggio and Michael Wundke while Cruize Garlett has been elevated from the rookie list.

"We'd like to sincerely thank each of these individuals for their significant contributions to North Melbourne," chief of football Donald McDonald said.

"I'd particularly like to extend our best wishes to Daniel Harris who played 149 great games for the club and showed true class throughout some difficult times during his career."

Former North Melbourne premiership player Shannon Grant will guide Essendon's VFL team Bendigo in the 2010 season .

"He has a good football brain, is a hard worker and enjoyed a successful AFL career so we think he is a good fit for Bendigo," Bombers football manager Paul Hamilton said.

"One of the big attractions with Shannon is that he is fresh out of playing AFL football which will help him relate well with the players.

"His role will be to assist with the development of Essendon's younger players and work closely with the Bendigo staff and playing list."

North Melbourne is poised to delist Daniel Harris, with the midfielder set to nominate for next month's draft.

"He's got no ill feeling whatsoever," Harris' manager Liam Pickering said.

"He's a fantastic young bloke. He's just thankful for the opportunity North was able to give him for a number of years.

"He would have liked to have kept playing there, but that's just the way it goes."

North Melbourne football manager Donald McDonald says the club had no choice but to let the talented Jesse Smith go without compensation.

"It is just an unfortunate situation that occurs from time to time in this industry. It is disappointing for everyone, but it's something that occurs across the entire competition," McDonald said.

"Our medical and conditioning team has explored every available option to aid his recovery and we have worked closely with Jesse's parents and manager to find a way forward.

"Brad made sure Jesse was aware of the club's commitment to restructure our medical and strength and conditioning departments. Jesse declined the offer."

Jesse Smith says he left North Melbourne out of desperation after struggling with injuries despite his love for the club.

"I've had six hamstring injuries in the past two years, the club has done everything it possibly can and put me through every available program under the sun to try to get it right, but it is just not working out," Smith told the Herald Sun.

"I love the club. I grew up with it with dad playing there and I will always love it and want the best for it, but it is time for me to go because I am at a critical stage.

Smith believes he has a better chance of recovering and playing AFL football again if given the opportunity at another club.

"The situation I am in is pretty dire. I know I have one last shot at it. If it doesn't work I know I will have exhausted all options," he said.

"I have gone and looked at other clubs, and they are pouring money into their medical, and strength and conditioning departments."

Jesse Smith walks out on North Melbourne and will nominate for the national draft after claiming the club's facilities are not good enough.

The Kangaroos are understandably upset by his decision.

"This is a very delicate situation because we could not have possibly worked any harder to get Jesse right," North Melbourne's chief of football, Donald McDonald, said.

"Every staff member to a man has bent over backwards to give Jesse every opportunity to get himself right. I challenge any club in the country to have worked harder to get him playing, but the responsibility also has to fall on the player.

"We are extremely disappointed by his decision to walk out, and then to be criticised, well, we are not going to cop it."

Josh Gibson has crossed from North Melbourne in a deal that has secured the Roos picks 25 and 41 in the 2009 NAB AFL Draft.

"The club has given me the chance to play a role and I look forward in contributing to the future success of Hawthorn," Gibson said.

"I'd like to thank the Hawks for the opportunity and I look forward to playing my part."

Brad Scott fires a stinging broadside at departing defender Josh Gibson in his first address to Kangas faithful.

"I asked another player whether he desperately wanted to be part of North Melbourne next year and Josh Gibson answered no," Scott said.

''So on Monday morning, we will trade him out of the club. If you don't want to play for this club, you can play for someone else, because we've got something special here.''

Rising midfielder Jack Ziebell will wear retired Kangaroo captain Adam Simpson's No. 7 guernsey.

"He rang me before and just said, 'Do you want it or not?' and I said, 'I would love to have it'. He said, 'If you want it, I'll mention it. If not, no big deal'," Ziebell said.

"That's the kind of bloke he is: very selfless and he wants the best for everyone else. He'll be sorely missed and will leave a big hole to fill.

"He's a legend of the club, he's given his whole heart and soul to the club and he's been fantastic."

Kangaroo Andrew Swallow's impressive season has been rewarded with the midfielder claiming his first Syd Barker Medal as the club's best and fairest player.

Swallow finished on 487 votes, just 10 ahead of full-back and runner-up Scott Thompson with 477 votes.

North Melbourne defender Josh Gibson has been asked by the club not to attend tonight's best-and-fairest at Melbourne Park following reports that Gibson has requested a trade to Hawthorn.

Roos defender Josh Gibson remains tight-lipped over his playing future, refusing to commit to North Melbourne, as trade talk intensifies.

Josh Gibson is still required at North Melbourne and new coach Brad Scott expects him to be there in 2010 despite the defender having expressed his desire to be traded to Hawthorn.

"My attitude is Josh is a North Melbourne player and I would expect him to be a North Melbourne player next year," Scott said.

"Trades have a history of not getting done. There's certainly a lot of talk about them and when push comes to shove, nothing happens."

Injury plagued Roo Jesse Smith has been offered a new contract despite playing just two games in the past two seasons.

"We've put that offer in and now it's just up to Jesse to decide what he wants to do," Kangaroos chief of football Donald McDonald said.

"He's definitely a required player and we desperately want him at our footy club.

"We've put an enormous amount of time and effort into him the last four or five years."

Josh Gibson informs North Melbourne that he wants to be traded to Hawthorn.

Gibson is believed to have been offered a 3-year deal with the Hawks worth over $800,000.

Darren Crocker is signed up by new North Melbourne coach Brad Scott as an assistant coach for the next two seasons.

"I'm very happy, and I suppose with everything that has gone on I am a bit chuffed that Brad wanted me on board," Crocker said.