North Melbourne Kangaroos News

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.

Following the end of the 2009 season, the Kangaroos tell assistant coaches Daniel Daly, Darren Bewick, Anthony Rock and development coach Dave Newett that their services are no longer required under new coach Brad Scott.

North Melbourne assistant coach Darren Bewick is prepared for whatever turn his career may take under new coach Brad Scott.

"Hopefully I've demonstrated enough and have a skill set that someone thinks might be worthwhile having a look at," Bewick said.

"Unfortunately, it's a bit of wait and see at the moment."

With Damien Hardwick recently appointed coach of Richmond, Port Adelaide now turn their sights to former North Melbourne captain Adam Simpson for the role of assistant coach at the club.

"He's in the mix," chief executive Mark Haysman said.

"Obviously we're disappointed to miss out on Damien because we tried really hard to get him here and thought he would have been a great addition to our group but there's other good candidates out there and Adam's one of those."

North Melbourne's caretaker coach Darren Crocker is unperturbed at missing out on a permanent job as head coach of North Melbourne after the recent appointment of Brad Scott.

''It's been a tremendous opportunity for me to coach senior football for half a year. There's only 16 senior coaches at any one time and I've been one of those for half a season, so from an experience perspective and a personal-development perspective it's been a wonderful opportunity,'' Crocker said.

''To Brad's credit he's basically said the next two weeks is about this coaching panel and us finishing the job that we started, and then he'll come in and obviously speak to the playing group after that.''

Gavin Urquhart, Lachlan Hansen and Nathan Grima have all signed new deals that will keep them at North Melbourne.

Queensland native Gavin Urquhart, in particular, will be kept safe from the new Gold Coast franchise.

North Melbourne backman Shannon Watt will retire at the end of this season after seeing his spot in the team being taken over by the young defender Scott Thompson.

"The young boys are playing really well. Scotty Thompson's been brilliant this year and he's probably pushed me out of the side, which is great for the club's future," he said.

"As much as I'd love to have been playing seniors, I've still enjoyed the year at Ballarat. If I wasn't still enjoying my footy, I wouldn't play out the year just for the sake of it."

North Melbourne skipper Brent Harvey says newly appointed senior coach Brad Scott's aggressive playing style would rub off nicely at the Roos.

"That is probably good and something we need at the footy club - a really hard edge - and if he brings that to our group I reckon it's going to be great," Harvey said.

"He's pretty young, we've got a young group obviously and I think it's going to be a good relationship."

Nathan Buckley will not fill the void left by the departure of former Collingwood assistant Brad Scott who has taken up the head coaching position at North Melbourne until next season.

"If I was at the club now and had been part of the club, I'd be recommending that the current coaches can fill the void that Brad has left," Buckley said.

"There's a lot of leadership in the playing group that I reckon will be able to cover that as well."

North Melbourne's Daniel Wells will not play again this year after succumbing to osteitis pubis.

"There are only two games to go but thinking about it, I tried really hard to get back and play but it wasn't to be," Wells said.

"It's very frustrating to do all the work and not get rewarded for it but I left no stone unturned. That way, I've got less pressure on myself. I know I've tried everything I could and didn't come up trumps."

North Melbourne announces Brad Scott as their new head coach.

Scott will leave his current position as assistant coach of Collingwood immediately after signing a three-year contract to coach the Kangaroos.

"I've been under some great coaches. I want to create a learning environment for the players to be the best they can be," Scott said.

"North's list is very young and very exciting and there's a lot of scope for improvement."

Kangaroos chairman James Brayshaw said that Scott's determination for success was a major factor in the decision to appoint him as coach of the club.

"We needed, I thought, someone who had a furnace in the pit of their guts, basically," Brayshaw said.

"Someone who wouldn't sleep until they'd achieved success for themselves and this footy club and for our list.

"We also needed someone who was a leader, who could put a stake in the ground and say to the blokes in this room, 'This is the direction we're headed and you're coming with me'."

North Melbourne interim coach Darren Crocker says he is pleased with how he interviewed for the permanent position.

"I obviously went through the process yesterday and I'm glad that's out of the way because I've now got a game of football to coach, against West Coast tomorrow," he said.

"I always looked at the opportunity to coach this team at the senior level as a great development opportunity for myself and where it took me it takes me.

"I will just continue to do what I have to do to get this group up and about and playing some good competitive football."

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson says assistant coach Damien Hardwick is ready to become a head coach with vacancies available at either North Melbourne or Richmond.

"We've supported him all along. He's been in our system for five years and our view is that he's ready to coach senior football. It will be up to Richmond and the Kangaroos to determine whether that's the case as well," Clarkson said.

Damien Hardwick appears to be on the cusp of securing the head coaching job at North Melbourne according to media reports.

Paul Roos will coach the Swans in 2010 before handing over to assistant John Longmire as part of the club's succession plan.

"John is an outstanding candidate for a senior coach and we've always talked about hopefully having some sort of succession plan and promoting from within," Roos said.

"We believe in our culture, we believe in our players and we believe in what they've done. We want to keep passing that down to the next senior coach."

North Melbourne ruckman Todd Goldstein says his consistency is improving after kicking five goals against the Demons in the Kangaroos' 62-point win.

"Part of being one of the young players is you've got to try to find consistency, which I probably didn't have early on in the season," he said. "I'm starting to find it now, which is nice.

"My match fitness at AFL level was lacking early on in the year. Now I've played a handful of games, I'm definitely feeling a lot more comfortable and a lot fitter out there."

Jake King has set his sights on making 2010 a standout year after caretaker coach Jade Rawlings brought him back into the senior side

"Jade and Wayne and the coaching staff and leadership group and all the players have been right behind me the whole way," he told richmondfc.com.au.

"I stuck to the trademarks and behaviours, and Jade was with me at Coburg and said that as long as I kept doing the right thing, things would work out.

"He turned around and said: you've done everything I've asked, here's your spot, go and make the most of it." .

Richmond caretaker coach Jade Rawlings slams the club's losing culture.

"People have been talking about cultural issues at Richmond for a long time, however long they think it has been going on," he said.

"But, unfortunately, our players go back to habits which are bad reflections on them because, when it gets tough, they can't fight through it, to do something to try and help a mate.

"If it's not working out for them individually, they can still have an involvement, still bring something to the table and have an impact on the team."

Darren Crocker celebrated his first win as North Melbourne caretaker coach yesterday after thrashing the Demons by more than 10 goals.

"I was just rapt for the playing group because they have been really good since I took over," Crocker said.

"It's great for them to get some reward for the effort and the commitment that they have shown."

Former North Melbourne coach Dean Laidley has been guaranteed a spot in Richmond's final round of interviews for the Tigers coaching position.

Jesse Smith remains a required player at North Melbourne despite a terrible run with injury that has restricted him to just 27 games in five seasons.

Smith has been plagued by hamstring and ankle injuries after playing 19 games in 2007.

"Jesse is obviously a topical one because of his injury history, but we still feel that he can play senior football," Chief of football Donald McDonald said.

"There's no doubt about that."

Hawthorn assistant coach Damien Hardwick is a leading candidate for both the Richmond and North Melbourne coaching positions.

North Melbourne caretaker coach Darren Crocker says Daniel Wells will make his return from injury playing for North Ballarat this weekend.

"He'll play in the VFL and that is a really positive sign. His last two weeks of training have been very good. We know that he's starting to get back to where [he] wants to get back to," Crocker said.

"He'll play around 70 per cent [of game time] in the VFL and hopefully really start to push for senior selection in the next couple of weeks."

North Melbourne skipper Brent Harvey says recently retired teammate Adam Simpson will make an outstanding coach.

"At what level he gets to, whether he wants to be an AFL coach one day or just an assistant or in a development role, he will be a sensational coach," Harvey said.

"His people skills are amazing, the young guys love him ... he's a great bloke and I know whether it's next year, the year after, whenever he goes into coaching, he's going to do a very, very good job."

Richmond coach Jade Rawlings says emotions will not be a factor in deciding the future of brother-in-law Matthew Richardson's future at the club beyond this season.

"The club is bigger than the individual," he said.

"We've been unsuccessful for way too long to be caught up in emotional family attachments.

"Matthew is an outstanding person, which you'd all agree with, and we're great mates and we'll talk honestly about what's going to be best for both parties. The footy club's future is most paramount."

Adam Simpson was overwhelmed with relief at the conclusion of his career that ended with a loss to Carlton.

"I have had a great ride," Simpson said.

"I have no regrets. I have been so lucky to get drafted at the end of '93 in a team that was on the cusp of something special.

"To be part of that in the '90s and then to be captain of the club, I have got no regrets. It is a bit of a relief that you don't have to get up and perform every week.

"That is the biggest thing players have to deal with - the week-to-week performance and whether you play good or bad you've got to back it up again."

Adam Simpson will fight through a calf strain, sustained during training yesterday, to play in the final match of his career against Carlton.

Darren Crocker says Nathan Buckley's decision to go to Collingwood hasn't change his attitude to wanting to be North senior coach.

"The Nathan Buckley thing really has not been at the forefront of my thinking anyway," Crocker said.

"Since I got the job, it has always been what I can do in the 10 weeks I got given with these guys.

"I have been steadfast in that, I have now got five weeks to go and we are just full steam ahead with what we need to be doing to become a better team by the end of the season."

North Melbourne ruckman David Hale has been dropped from the side to face Carlton due to poor form against the Brisbane Lions.

"When I first took over he had a couple of strong games but didn't get the reward," North Melbourne caretaker coach Darren Crocker said.

"I think he kicked four points against Sydney after taking 10 marks but last week he had a poor game and we just want him to go back and recapture a little bit of form in the VFL."

Matthew Richardson will make his return from a hamstring injury with Coburg in the VFL.

"He'll come back this week after missing the best part of three months which is fantastic for him," Tigers assistant coach David King said.

"He's looking forward to just playing again, I think we're all looking forward to seeing him out at Coburg for the first time in a long while."

Nathan Buckley and Jason McCartney were influential in the poaching of NRL star Karmichael Hunt by the Gold Coast.

Buckley and McCartney were employed by the league's game development department to verify Hunt's skills.

"Technically he's very good," McCartney told the Herald Sun.

"He kicked the ball really well that day ... This was only a very brief session, but he just had a bit of a kick, then we put him in the middle and Bucks and I just kicked the footy into his hands and then from either side. He just had to turn, handball off and kick.

"He's very coachable. One of the things we noticed straight away was his natural reaction to want to grab the ball on the chest with a rugby technique. And we said to him that in our game we encourage people to use their hands. Straight away he made the adjustment."

North Melbourne midfielder Adam Simpson expresses his desire to work as an assistant coach following his retirement.

"It has been there for a few years - a passion for the coaching side of things," Simpson said.

"I feel like a kid coming out of the under-18s in that sense. I'm starting at the bottom as a rookie and I want to try and get drafted, learn as much as I can and develop as quick as I can. This is what I want to do and, right now, I don't know where it will take me."

North Melbourne captain Brent Harvey says it will be hard to adjust to footy without recently retired teammate Adam Simpson.

"We've both been pretty durable throughout our careers ... we've played a lot of footy together and we understand the way each other play," Harvey said.

"I bounce a lot of things off Simmo and I feel pretty privileged to be able to say I've played 200 and something games with him.

"He's been an icon of our footy club and a great leader and, more importantly, a really good friend."

Kangaroos great Glenn Archer says former teammate Adam Simpson should look at other clubs if AFL senior coaching role is his goal.

"If his aspiration is to be a senior coach one day, I think it would be good for his personal growth to go to another club and learn different ways and see how other clubs actually operate," Archer said.

"At the same time, I'd love to still have him around the club."

Tim Notting is offered a one-match suspension subject to a guilty plea for striking Kangaroo Scott Thompson in Saturday's match at the Gabba.

North Melbourne caretaker coach says he felt Adam Simpson's farewell would be before the end of the season following a draw with Richmond in round 16.

"He approached me after the Richmond game down at the beach when they were doing their recovery and said he wanted to catch up," Crocker said.

"I knew this was probably what he wanted to catch up about.

"He's a deep thinker about the game, where he's at, what role he plays in the team and the direction of the club. He obviously felt it was a really good time for him to walk away and give some other guys an opportunity to fill a very big pair of shoes."

North Melbourne says it will not be continuing talks to Nathan Buckley regarding the head coaching position at the club after Buckley declined an offer made to him.

"North Melbourne wishes Nathan all the best with whatever career path he chooses to take," the Kangaroos said in a statement issued tonight.

"The club will continue its search for a senior coach for 2010 and beyond."

North Melbourne veteran Adam Simpson announces his retirement and will play his 306th and final AFL game on Friday, tying Wayne Schimmelbusch's total.

"When that happens - it doesn't happen very often, when both parties agree - it had a really good feel about it," Simpson said.

"There's going to be opportunities for kids going forward, and whether I play another three games or five games, it doesn't really matter.

"When you think like that, I suppose the timing's right."

North Melbourne has suffered a cruel blow, with youngster Jesse Smith again breaking down in his comeback bid from a spate of hamstring and ankle injuries.

Smith, playing for North Ballarat's reserve grade side in the VFL, was playing just his second match of the season on Sunday when he re-injured a hamstring.

"Jesse came off the ground yesterday with hamstring soreness and didn't take any further part in the match," North Melbourne football manager Donald McDonald said.

"Obviously we're treating this latest setback very seriously, but we won't know the extent of the injury until tonight after he has had scans."

David Hale says the mark he took with seconds left in the extraordinary draw with Richmond was legitimate.

With the scores level and just 22 seconds remaining in a pulsating match at the MCG, Hale marked strongly in front of Tigers defender Jarrod Silvester on a slight angle inside 50m.

"Was it a mark? Obviously I thought it was a mark," Hale said.

"I haven't seen a replay, but by all reports it was a 50-50 and it didn't go our way."

North Melbourne will widen its search for a new coach if its preferred candidate, Nathan Buckley, cannot commit to the job within two weeks.

"I have spoken to Nathan very recently," North Melbourne president James Brayshaw said on Triple M radio.

"I said, 'Nathan, do you wish to coach senior football next year? Because if you do, we would like to talk to you about that. We think we are a great fit for you.

''If you don't want to coach AFL football next year, please let us know ASAP so we can move on'."

North Melbourne chief executive Eugene Arocca has confirmed that president James Brayshaw will meet with Nathan Buckley regarding the club's senior post.

"We don't have a specific timeframe on when he'll give his answer," Arocca said.

"In the next 48 hours there'll be a meeting and what will flow from that meeting will depend on the content of that meeting."

Wayne Carey is closer to returning to North Melbourne on a regular basis than any time since the start of the 2002 season.

"I am good mates with Darren Crocker and Rocky (assistant coach Anthony Rock) and get along well with (football manager) Donald McDonald and all the guys that are involved there," Carey told Adelaide radio station 5AA.

"I'm more than willing to have a chat to some of the key forwards down at the club and that may happen later on in the year."

Essendon assistant coach Gary O'Donnell has ruled himself out of taking on a senior coaching role next year despite vacancies at North Melbourne and Richmond.

"No and I am not in the running for any of those jobs," he said while adding that potential coaches did not necessarily have to serve as assistants before assuming a senior role.

"Each individual is different. We saw Michael Voss virtually didn't have an assistant coaching role anywhere. Some guys can go straight in to it. It's horses for courses," he said.

"You get the right person for the right club at the right time it doesn't matter what they've done in their past."

The AFL tribunal has cleared Jordan Lewis of striking Michael Firrito.

Despite Lewis admitting he had delivered a punch to the stomach of North Melbourne midfielder Michael Firrito, the Hawks successfully argued the force of the strike was "not more than negligible".

"I'm very happy," Lewis said after the hearing. "Obviously no excuses for what I did ... the force wasn't too hard and I'm very lucky to get off."

North Melbourne defender Scott McMahon says the Roos need to start winning to boost the confidence of emerging players.

"You just get the experience of playing against the best teams, especially going into finals. You know they're going to come out hard and also playing in front of big crowds [helps too]," he said.

There appear to be four main suitors for retired Collingwood champion Nathan Buckley's services as coach.

North Melbourne has all but categorically declared him the Kangaroos' most wanted man. Richmond is planning to interview him. And Collingwood seems determined to retain its longest-serving captain.

Hawthorn faces the prospect of losing one of its in-form midfielders for Saturday night's crucial clash against Collingwood.

Hawthorn will decide this morning whether to challenge Lewis's penalty for striking North Melbourne's Michael Firrito in the third quarter in Launceston on Sunday.

The Roos expect Jesse Smith to front up again in the VFL after getting through his first match of '09 in the North Ballarat reserves .

"It's just part of the long-term plan that we've got so that by the end of the year we can have him cherry-ripe to put in a good pre-season and get him right for next year," North Melbourne football manager Donald McDonald said.

"So he's still got seven weeks to go and we just want to get as much footy into him as we possibly can."

Promising North Melbourne onballer Jack Ziebell is making good progress from a broken leg.

Ziebell broke his leg against Adelaide in round 12 but is now walking comfortably without crutches and assistant coach Darren Bewick said the draftee had wasted little time revisiting his routine.

"One thing about him is that as an 18-year-old kid, he's pretty steadfast in what he wants to achieve," Bewick said.

"He's done everything right, he hasn't let himself go at all and the first sign is he got out of the crutches and he's here doing ball work. The good players do that."

Adam Simpson is raring to go for another season but expects the club to tell him within eight weeks if they want him to play on.

"I'll know before the end of the season," Simpson said.

"It's hard to end on a good note, an AFL career. Not many people do. The end is always a bit sour. I'll weigh that up as well.

"I just want to enjoy the last eight weeks."

Kangaroo assistant coach Darren Bewick said David Hale showed good signs against the Swans which was a reward for effort on the track.

North Melbourne considered dropping full-forward David Hale for last week's clash with the Sydney Swans before caretaker coach Darren Crocker decided to give him another opportunity.

"I'm more pleased for David because I've worked with him the whole year and have seen what he's been doing on the training track," Bewick said on Thursday.

"His training form's been as good as any. He's feeling confident about things going into the games, it just hasn't been happening for him.

"I thought last week the things he's been putting in place on the training track and trying to implement into games finally came to fruition for him."

Daniel Wells has had stitches in his leg after an accident at the club on Monday, adding to the frustration of his groin injury.

Wells cut himself on a piece of gym equipment and has been advised by North's medical staff to keep the leg iced and elevated for two days to help the five-centimetre wound heal and will not be able to run for a fortnight.

"I wasn't too far away from actually coming back. "Now it puts me back a couple of extra weeks, which is unfortunate," Wells said.

"It's going to take a little while so I've got to make sure I don't keep re-splitting it, which is a possibility because the skin's so thin."

Defender Troy Chaplin and Daniel Pratt have failed to overturn their charges at the AFL tribunal.

Chaplin argued that he had no realistic alternative as he was committed to making a contest against Brisbane's Daniel Rich which the field umpire deemed as "late, unnecessary and unreasonable".

"I'm not sure what I'm expected to do in that situation," Chaplin told the tribunal via video link-up from Adelaide.

"I'm not sure how I could deviate when I've chosen to go."

North Melbourne and Port Adelaide will head to the AFL Tribunal on Tuesday night in the hope of clearing two key defenders.

The Kangaroos will challenge a striking charge against Daniel Pratt, who is facing a one-week ban, while the Power's Troy Chaplin will try to overturn a two-week stint on the sidelines.

North Melbourne forward Corey Jones will play in his 150th game against Hawthorn and says that his future is on the line after being given a new lease of life under caretaker coach Darren Crocker.

"We've got a new coach so it's just a little bit refreshing to change up a few things," Jones said. "He's backed me in a little bit, so it's good. I want to stand up for him.

"We've got eight weeks and whatever happens at the end of the year, we'll worry about that [then]. The last eight weeks we'll be hell-bent on trying to knock over a few sides.

"I thought there were some positive signs on the weekend and hopefully we keep improving each week."

North Melbourne caretaker coach Darren Crocker can see why Nathan Buckley is being considered for the position of head coach at the Kangaroos, but he is not concerned.

"He's obviously got a fair bit of appeal to him with the elite player that he was, the elite preparer and the way he went about things," Crocker said.

"He would be a real positive for any organisation to get hold of. What he would bring to this football club, I don't know, and whether it's the right ingredient for this football club, I can't really answer that question.

"For me, it's what I can provide this football club and provide the people here for the next 10 weeks, both from a staff perspective and a player perspective."

Darren Crocker says former premiership teammate Wayne Carey could 'fulfil a role' if the caretaker coach earned the senior position for 2010 .

"If he was keen to come back and I was the senior coach going forward, I would entertain that he might come in and fulfil a role," he said.

"But to what extent that would be, whether it was just as a specialist coach or part of our new elite training facility with the learning and cultural centre, he might want to have a role to play there.

"He's definitely got something to offer the footy club, any footy club. That's not out of the question, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

The Swans win a gritty match against North Melbourne by 15 points without suspended forward Barry Hall.

"Everyone knows, including Barry, what he has done, but he's very popular and he's very affable and he's easy to like," Sydney coach Paul Roos said.

"He comes in, he does the training. So really for the players it wasn't that big an issue."

North Melbourne dynamo Daniel Wells faces more time on the sidelines with a groin injury, according to coach Darren Crocker.

"We just want to make sure that when we bring Daniel back, he is 100 per cent ready to go," Crocker said.

"I had a good chat to him and said: 'mate, I really want you to be 100 per cent when you come back. I don't want to rush it and have you play two or three games and then we are in the same situation'."

Sydney Swans assistant coach John Longmire says he is concentrating on breaking the side's losing streak rather than the coaching vacancy at North Melbourne.

"At the moment, I'm just trying to make sure we win a game of footy and get back on to the winners' list," he said on Wednesday.

"That's my priority and all my energy and focus is on that at the moment."

AIS-AFL high performance coach Jason McCartney has called for people to lay off Jack Watts.

"Jack Watts has copped a bit of heat unnecessarily," McCartney said on Wednesday at Docklands, the venue for the final day of the NAB AFLUnder-18 Championships.

"You can't compare him to Nic Naitanui, or Daniel Rich. Daniel Rich has played in two premierships for Subiaco - and has a big, strong body. Nic Naitanui played a year of senior football last year.

"Jack Watts is a schoolboy, who has played four TAC Cup games. It's hard to really compare those boys who get the opportunity to play some senior footy, it probably does help them."

North Melbourne's Lachie Hansen believes a settled defence means he can now pinch-hit a lot more in attack after having to replace the injured Ben Warren against the Bulldogs in the forward lines.

"I hadn't really trained as a forward before. I was going to play down back, just helping out the backline on the weekend," Hansen said.

"It was a bit different and it took a while for me to get into the game but I had a couple of shots on goal and started to get a feeling for what it is like to be up forward and it wasn't too bad.

"It's a different role but I had a bit more freedom to run around and go for my marks and stuff.

"I quite enjoyed it so hopefully I get another go next week, after I train up a bit more and learn some leading patterns and stuff."

Drew Petrie and Trent Cotchin have escaped with reprimands for striking offences on the weekend.

Petrie was cited for striking Brad Johnson, while Cotchin was fingered for striking Jarryn Geary.

North Melbourne captain Brent Harvey gives a glowing assessment of new coach Darren Crocker's inclusive style.

"He has got a few new ideas. The leaders went to him at each break and gave him a bit of input as well, so I thought that was a real positive," Harvey said.

"After the game he was really upbeat and positive and he just backed our boys; he said we should be pretty proud of ourselves with the way we went about it."

Young North forward Ben Warren has been taken to hospital after coming from the field in the first term of his side's battle with the Western Bulldogs.

Warren, 20, left the field at the six-minute mark of the first quarter and was unable to put weight on his right leg.

Wayne Carey is continuing his quest to raise money for charities.

Just a week after Carey donated his comeback game match fee to the Whitelion charity, we can reveal Carey will tackle the Kokoda Track to help former teammate Jason McCartney raise money for a children's charity.

North Melbourne interim coach Darren Crocker has followed the lead of his equivalent at Richmond, Jade Rawlings, and swung the selection axe for his first match in charge.

The inclusion of debutant Liam Anthony is among four changes to the side that will meet the Western Bulldogs on Sunday.

Making way are youngsters Jack Ziebell (out due to a broken leg) and Gavin Urquhart, along with Sam Power and Aaron Edwards.

Port Adelaide coach Mark Williams admitted Salopek might have been brought back too soon after dislocating his shoulder against North Melbourne in round seven.

"Sal is disappointed, but he actually understands. If you look at David Rodan a few weeks back, we dropped him and it doesn't mean we don't like him or that he's not part of our best 18, but we think it's what's best for him to get his mind right," Williams said on Friday.

"The shoulder injury does correlate to when his form has dropped down. Perhaps, the physical side was okay, but mentally he might not have felt as strong."

Nathan Buckley has confirmed his interest in discussing with Richmond and North Melbourne their vacant coaching positions.

Buckley said last night he was keen to talk about the senior roles at both clubs, after spending 10 days on an AFL-funded study trip in the US.

"They will go through a process that they allocate and I would like to have a chat to them and find out where they are situated," Buckley said.

Jack Riewoldt has a unique boast among his teammates - he is the one Tiger who has played alongside new coach Jade Rawlings.

The 20-year-old forward was a 17-year-old hopeful playing for Tassie Mariners in the VFL when Rawlings, in the twilight of his senior career with the then Mariners' affiliate North Melbourne, came back and played a handful of games in the twos.

"He rides me a bit harder than some others. We're pretty tight," Riewoldt said.

"We're pretty close friends. We've got that balance where he can have a stern word to me or give some words of encouragement."

Dean Laidley is remembered fondly at North according to Kangaroo Josh Gibson.

"Dean was fantastic for us and it was very sad to see him go, but I thought the handling of it was really professional by him and the club," Gibson wrote in an article for AFL.com.au.

"It put North on a pedestal in terms of how we treat people, which is a massive part of this club's culture."

Fremantle coach Mark Harvey says reborn defender Chris Tarrant is in All-Australian form.

"If you look at who he plays on you would say yes," Harvey said.

"He plays on the key forward or the major forward from the opposition every time.

"If that's the criteria, and I'm not sure what the criteria is ... he's been exceptional."

North Melbourne captain Brent Harvey is poised to make his long-awaited return against Western Bulldogs at the MCG on Sunday.

"It's fantastic news,'' North Melbourne caretaker coach Darren Crocker said

"He went off to the surgeon and got the all-clear from the surgeon, it's just a matter of him getting through this week's training, which I've got no doubt he will do, with the preparation and training he's done.

"He's ticked all the boxes and he's super keen to get back and lead the side.''

Close-checking Carlton youngster Aaron Joseph has made every post a winner since coming to the Blues from the Apple Isle.

Joseph's performance in amassing 19 touches opposed to St Kilda livewire Stephen Milne two weeks ago has earned him a nomination as the NAB AFL Rising Star.

"I played on Brent Harvey in the NAB Cup. He's probably been the hardest player to play on. One of my strengths is to get under a player's skin, and he pretty much bashed me up on the day. He showed me a few moves I can use on future opponents," Joseph said.

Darren Crocker's debut as North Melbourne coach could be boosted with captain Brent Harvey a chance to play for the first time since dislocating his elbow in round five.

The Kangaroos meet the Western Bulldogs at the MCG this Sunday in their first game since Dean Laidley resigned as coach. Crocker has since taken the reins in a caretaker role.

"He got the all-clear from the specialist ... so he's just got to get through tomorrow's training session," North Melbourne football manager Donald McDonald said.

West Coast could swoop on resigned North Melbourne coach Dean Laidley to fill a football role next season.

North Melbourne legend Glenn Archer urges his club to chase Nathan Buckley as coach of the Kangaroos in 2010 .

"Buckley's obviously number one in everyone's mind, but I'm sure they're not just going to look at Buckley, they'll look at a few guys and go through some sort of a process," Archer said.

"But why Nathan would probably be on top of their list would be the off-field stuff - he can bring so many supporters and sponsors, and just drag money in to the footy club.

"And unfortunately, for a team like North, you've got to look at both sides of the fence - on-field and off-field - when you're looking at a coach."

North Melbourne veteran Adam Simpson has thrown his support behind caretaker coach Darren Crocker on a day he said a change in his teammates was obvious.

Simpson closed a stirring speech at a function to celebrate his 300-game milestone with a strong message for Crocker, who was handed the interim role following Dean Laidley's resignation on Tuesday.

"I'm backing you in 100 per cent, mate. Whatever you tell us to do, we'll do," Simpson said.

Recently departed North Melbourne coach Dean Laidley says Nathan Buckley would be a good appointment to lead the Kangaroos in the AFL in 2010.

North Melbourne captain Brent Harvey has passed a fitness test and is right to play next week.

"It was full training today with the aim for him to test the stability of his elbow through tackling and landing in game-like conditions. Thankfully he reported to me that he was not sore at all after the hit-out," club doctor Con Mitropoulos said.

"Everyone is very relieved especially Brent. He's shown a great deal of commitment throughout his rehabilitation and has done everything required to get back onto the field. If there was a game this week, he would be a certainty."

Eddie McGuire says Nathan Buckley is worth the $800,000 North Melbourne will reportedly offer him to coach next season.

"At North Melbourne, if you got somebody like a Nathan Buckley, you'd have to pay him that amount of money because that's what he's worth, and he'd bring that to you in spades," McGuire said.

North Melbourne caretaker coach Darren Crocker says he wants to retain a senior AFL position.

"The coaches I have worked with have been fantastic and the coaches I have played under, I learned a hell of a lot from," he said. "I really think I now have something to offer as a coach.

"There's no doubt I want to coach senior football and I think I'm well-equipped to coach senior football."

North Melbourne captain Brent Harvey only needs final clearance from the club doctor to return from a dislocated elbow.

"Boomer would have played last week if it was left up to him," Chief of football Donald McDonald said.

"We've just got to make sure it's structurally sound, so that will be the focus now."

Glenn Archer is expected to be asked to join a sub-committee tasked with finding the next coach of North Melbourne following Dean Laidley's departure.

Kangaroos skipper Brent Harvey feels some guilt about the Dean Laidley's departure as coach of North Melbourne after spending most of the season on the sidelines with injury.

"Unfortunately I only played four games as captain under Dean and that was probably my biggest disappointment," Harvey said.

"I spoke to him last night and I was saying it's probably my worst year in footy. Purely because I got appointed captain, I've been injured and the coach resigned halfway through the season.

"I just can't stop feeling a little bit responsible.

"Even though I couldn't do a great deal, you sit in the stands frustrated because you want to do things and you just can't do anything.

"It's been a very, very frustrating year but the one thing I love doing is playing footy and I'm hoping I'm back sooner rather than later."

North Melbourne champion Wayne Carey, 38, has agreed to play with Palm Beach-Currumbin in a QAFL Pineapple Hotel Cup Division Two match at Palm Beach, on Saturday.

Carey is not being paid and will see how he pulls up before deciding whether he wants to play the rest of the season.

"I've been having a kick through the year, not necessarily with Palmy but with my brother and my nephews at Coolangatta," Carey told the AFLQ website.

"This charity thing and having a kick was raised and it intrigued me a bit and I thought why not. I've had some physio on a calf and now I'm looking forward to it.

"I'm not too concerned about my fitness or anything like that, but I suppose not having played for four-and-a-half years is a worry.

"It'll be good fun. It'll be good to be at a footy club again and having a kick with a few of the blokes."

Eugene Arocca has denied claims that there was a severe rift between him and former Kangaroos coach Dean Laidley.

"I thought at least I should try to clarify one thing, and that is there is no rift between me and Dean, and I was certainly invited to his place last night," Arocca said.

"Most people who know me know I'm usually in the office about seven o'clock in the morning, but I've struggled to work a bit this morning. I was at Dean's place until about quarter to one this morning."

Former Collingwood captain Nathan Buckley is the standout at the top of North Melbourne's wish-list to takeover as coach after Dean Laidley took the club by surprise by quitting yesterday.

Club insiders have indicated they would go as hard as they possibly could to entice the Brownlow medallist to Arden Street.

The place is in better shape than when he started, but departing Kangaroos coach Dean Laidley says North Melbourne is a "fair way away" from being a force.

"I came here (in October 2002) and had a plan to win a premiership by 2007," Laidley said. "We fell seven days short of getting to a Grand Final (in 2007) and we did it under a fair bit of stress through those years.

"Basically, there was a lot of love and not a lot of money but we had a super time doing it.

"Since then, we have cleaned out a hell of a lot of players and the blueprint we have in place will hold the club in good stead going forward.

"The ultimate success is probably a fair way away I would have thought, and I thought that wouldn't be me.

"That was a fair bit of my thinking in how I came to the decision."

Having watched Terry Wallace show how to not part with one's club, Dean Laidley knew he had to act once his commitment to North wavered.

North Melbourne captain Brent Harvey says standing in front of his teammates to thank outgoing coach Dean Laidley for his contribution to the club was one of the hardest things he has ever had to do.

"I think he finished with, 'Go Roos' and that's when the boys would have thought, 'This is it. That's the last time you're going to hear that from the coach'," he said. "It's very sad."

"We've had a lot of injuries to a lot of key players, so that's been really tough.

"He's probably felt it's his time and I think he said he couldn't take this group any further."

Former North Melbourne player and teammate of Dean Laidley, Wayne Schwass, says it was a good time for the Kangaroos coach to stand down.

"After seven years I think it is a good decision for both parties that perhaps he needed a new challenge. The club needs a new face and I think it is an interesting and challenging time for that football club to entice the best candidate," Schwass told SEN radio.

"If Dean Laidley is as good as a lot of people are saying then he shouldn't have too much to worry about because there will be opportunities. If he is as the top of the pecking order because he still has ability as a senior coach, he will get another job."

Dean Laidley has stood down from his position as senior coach at North Melbourne.

Laidley informed the club of his decision to quit on Tuesday morning, bringing to an end his seven years at the helm.

North are currently undergoing a review of coaching, which was slated to conclude before round 16.

North Melbourne's young gun Jack Ziebell's debut season appears over after scans yesterday confirmed he broke his right leg in the 44-point loss to Adelaide on Sunday.

The 18-year-old midfielder was taken to hospital after Adelaide's Brad Symes slid into his knee during a contest just before three-quarter-time.

Scans revealed the round-seven Rising Star nominee had a fractured fibula which will put him out for six to 10 weeks and with the club unlikely to play finals, he is not expected to return this year.

North Melbourne has confirmed young gun Jack Ziebell suffered a broken right leg during Sunday's loss to Adelaide at AAMI Stadium.

The club released a statement on Monday evening saying scans revealed a fractured fibula, a result of contact with Crow Brent Reilly as Ziebell slid head-long into a pack in the greasy conditions.

The 18-year-old is expected to be out for between six to 10 weeks.

North Melbourne young gun Jack Ziebell is to learn his fate today after suffering a serious leg injury against the Crows.

Scans have been taken of the 18-year-old's right leg, with North Melbourne to learn the full extent of the damage later today.

Jack Ziebell has been taken to hospital for x-rays on his leg after a collision in North Melbourne's loss to Adelaide.

North Melbourne's Adam Simpson becomes the latest footballer to reach the 300-game milestone.

North Melbourne small forward Cruize Garlett will make his debut against Adelaide at AAMI Stadium tomorrow.

"He's worked really hard to get his opportunity," North Melbourne football manager Donald McDonald said last night.

"Everyone's rapt, from Bryce Lewis who recruited him; it's a good tick for the recruiting guys, and it's really good for our development fellas, and it's a real tick for our alignment with North Ballarat, because Cruize has basically played all of his footy there and they've done it really well."

North legend Anthony Stevens lauds Adam Simpson, his successor and teammate, of 11 years as "the ultimate professional" on the eve of Simpson's 300th game.

"Not the most talented guy going around, but the one thing about Simmo is that he's been able to get the best out of the ability he has got," said Stevens, who fell six games short of the same milestone.

"The way he trains, prepares himself, understands the game, thinks about the opposition, in a way, is the complete package."

On the eve of his 300th match, Adam Simpson says he feared the game had passed him by at the end of last season.

"The game's changed ridiculously since I started but in the last two to three years it's gone to a different level," he said.

"There isn't one minute of the game where you shouldn't be somewhere as a player these days. I've probably had to rely on my footy smarts a bit to get by.

"I don't know how long that's going to last. It might last another two weeks, it might last [until] next year. I'll take it as it comes."

Tyrone Vickery concedes his debut isn't the main attraction at Etihad Stadium tomorrow night with caretaker coach Jade Rawlings in charge of the team for the first time.

"Jade's been really good for half of the year down at Coburg for myself and the younger guys, so for him to be now coaching at AFL level and me playing I suppose it will make it pretty easy, I know what he expects and I know how he coaches.

"He's got a very good temperament, he's able to handle crises well I think, he keeps a clear head, but I suppose it will all be tested out when it goes up another step at AFL (level) but I think he'll be a very good caretaker coach for the club.''

Adam Simpson shuddered momentarily as he relived his first public appearance after the infamous chicken sex video story erupted.

"The most stressful period was when we looked like we were going to lose sponsors," he said.

"The message finally came out that they were staying. I rang Mazda later and they were fine.

"Obviously at the time, it knocked me over. I lost 4kg.

"I remember thinking all the good work I'd done over the years was going to be lost; I'd be the bloke known as the bloke who contributed to that video. I was in a bit of a daze, to be honest."

Adelaide's Brad Moran is talking up the clash with former teammate Hamish McIntosh this weekend.

"I know Hamish pretty well and we've obviously played together. He's a good solid player and it will be a good challenge," Moran said.

"You have to be wary of Hamish around the ground because he can find the ball and use it.

"He's a big, tall ruckman and he has a lot of strength and reach, so we'll try and use athletic ability to try and beat him."

St Kilda ruckman Steven King has accepted a four-week ban for his off-the-ball clash with North Melbourne's Sam Power last weekend, deciding not to risk a six-week suspension if an appeal failed.

Steven King is looking at a month on the sidelines after being charged with rough conduct, while Paddy Ryder has also been suspended.

King was involved in an off the ball incident on Saturday which left Kangaroo Sam Power unconscious.

Ryder was suspended for a week for rough conduct against young Crow Patrick Dangerfield.

Robbie Tarrant has re-injured his shoulder playing in the VFL and will undergo scans.

"He just fell on the shoulder out at Casey Fields, but until then he had been playing really well," North Melbourne chief of football Donald McDonald said.

"But that's how the game goes sometimes."

North Melbourne is confident Adam Simpson will overcome a calf injury to play his 300th game on Sunday against Adelaide at AAMI Stadium.

Young North Melbourne forward Ben Warren has been taken to hospital with a suspected broken cheekbone.

North Melbourne chairman James Brayshaw has defended the timing of his club's review of Dean Laidley's coaching in the middle of the season.

"You're not just going to make it (the decision) by going around the table on the Thursday night, going 'What does everyone reckon?''' he said.

"You've got to have a very, very close look at (it) ... any club when their coach is up for renewal has a very close look at where they're at and whether they should continue or whether they should go a different way."

North Melbourne has formed a sub-committee to review whether Dean Laidley should be offered a new contract.

Daniel Wells says more players are making their debut with North now it is staying in Melbourne.

"We've always drafted ready-made players and have never really been in this position," Wells said.

"'Bottomed out' isn't the right term but we have started getting the young kids in and blooding them so we can plan for the future.

"We've always lived on the edge as a club, financially and footy-wise to some extent. Because we know we're going to be in Melbourne for good now - with the new facility coming up - I think it gives the club a bit more confidence to start playing these kids."

Jason McCartney has been appointed the new AIS-AFL high performance coach.

"It is a great privilege to be appointed to this position," McCartney said.

"I am very passionate about developing young men to be better players and better people and having worked in the program for more than three years and I am now really looking forward to the challenge of leading it."

Adam Simpson says his future will depend on what direction the North Melbourne takes with rebuilding despite his good current form.

"If the season finished today I'd say yes," Simpson said about continuing to play on.

"But it can fall away pretty quickly, but at the same time the body's feeling really good and the attitude's really good.

"It will probably depend on how the club is as well, what they're doing with the kids."

Roo veteran Brady Rawlings says Jack Ziebell is the most impressive young player he has seen in 10 years.

"I think the most impressive thing about Ziebs is you know that whatever is thrust at him is not going to go to his head," Rawlings said.

"He's just a very level-headed kid. He's not cocky at all, where some kids could be like that when they've done what he's done so far this year.

"He's the exact opposite and a good person to have at your footy club."

North's David Hale is working his way into some consistent form at full forward.

"Obviously the year started pretty slowly, so it's good to start kicking them a bit more and get some touch back, to start having a bit more influence up forward with the young guys we've got up there," he said.

"It's been a frustrating start for myself and the team, but with the young guys we've got coming through it's pretty exciting, and hopefully we can string a few together."

Wayne Carey has been snubbed by the AFL Hall of Fame for the second year running.

With the rest of North Melbourne's leadership group sidelined, Drew Petrie is happy to step into the breach.

"By the time Brent's finished, I might have missed the opportunity to be captain so I'm glad to be stepping into his shoes," Petrie said.

"There are other guys like Michael Firrito, Leigh Harding, Sam Power and David Hale who are senior enough to help out in the role. They've been doing that, which is good and I haven't felt alone in the role at all."

The Kangaroos will not put captain Brent Harvey on the long-term injury list in case he is ready early.

"The way he's training and the way he's running, there could be the possibility he might come back earlier," chief of football Donald McDonald said.

"We couldn't contemplate putting a rookie up and waiting for him to finish his eight weeks."

North Melbourne speedster Daniel Wells is looking forward to playing his part in the AFL's Indigenous Round.

"I suppose we're always encouraging each other to just keep doing well," Wells said.

"There's not many of us in the competition.

"Looking at the numbers today I guess there are a lot of us, but it's just a bond we have and it's something we share together."

North Melbourne forward Aaron Edwards says swearing off alcohol was something he had to do to remain in the AFL.

"It wasn't really a hard decision," Edwards said.

"It's something I have to do to stay on an AFL list. I love my job and I love what I'm doing so I've been off the drink and it's been good for me.

"I'm trying to build a career and I think that might hold me back a little bit so it was a good decision."

Cameron Mooney has been suspended for one game for striking Kangaroo Scott Thompson.

Hamish McIntosh has bounced back strongly in 2009 after a disappointing 2008.

"This year has been a big step forward after the events of last year, on and off the field," McIntosh said.

"I just wanted to focus on getting fit again in the off-season and pre-season and that's definitely helped my form carrying into the season."

North Melbourne's Ben Warren has replaced the player who has helped him the most: veteran Corey Jones.

"It definitely was a slow, gradual improvement. I think I have a bit of talent - that's obviously why I got drafted - but I just needed to work on so many different areas to play senior footy. I definitely wasn't ready for senior footy," Warren said.

"For the last two years he has watched nearly every one of my VFL games with me and gone through and given me little pointers here and there and you can't buy the experience he's had. During the week we have to go through our vision with the coach and he always sits in with me and has been a massive help, a massive reason why I've improved."

A switch to defence for Daniel Wells paid off in North Melbourne's win over Port Adelaide.

"I'd played there a couple of times before and enjoyed it and it worked out well again," Wells said about North Melbourne coach Dean Laidley's decision to move him into defence.

"He said he was thinking about playing me at half-back and just trying to use my skills and decision-making to give our forwards or midfielders some good chances."

David Hale has been placed out of reach of the new Gold Coast team, with the Roos signing him to a new contract today.

"I'm very happy. I'm obviously settled in Melbourne now and it's a very exciting time with the boys coming through here," Hale said.

"It's good to get the chance to sign the deal with North and put the talk about the Gold Coast behind me."

Jack Ziebell is the latest young gun to earn a Rising Star nomination with an outstanding game against Port Adelaide.

"The kid's going to be a superstar and I'm not afraid to say that because his work ethic, the way he attacks the football, has been fantastic," North Melbourne coach Dean Laidley said.

"He is a leader in his own right at the football club already just by the way he goes about it."

Kangaroo Ben Ross has put in the hard yards to return to AFL football, but his first game of 2009 delivered more than even he expected.

North Melbourne escaped with a narrow win after surviving an onslaught by Port Adelaide in the final minutes of the match.

"That was the longest quarter of footy I've ever played in. It was just so intense at every stoppage”, Ross said after the win.

"That last two minutes felt like 10. Everyone was around the ball and there was not one easy possession to be had out there. We just had to jam it up as best we could and hold on because they were coming home pretty hard.

"I'm not sure what happened exactly, we'll have to look at the review, but we may have switched off a bit mentally. It was great that we were able to hold on."

Kangaroos coach Dean Laidley has asked fans not to expect too much from Daniel Wells in his first week back from injury.

"He's ready to go," Laidley said.

"But we've got to be mindful that he's been out for three weeks. He won't be able to play his full quota of time but we think he'll value-add to our side."

North Melbourne veteran Brent Harvey is frustrated, impatient and, above all, involved as he waits for his arm to heal.

"A couple of weeks ago I noticed on the scoreboard: 100 consecutive games," he said.

"To miss 10 or 12 weeks of footy, or whatever it's going to be, is very disappointing but I've got to think about what I want to do off the field now and how I'm going to help the footy club."

Former AFL CEO Wayne Jackson has sparked a furious reaction from North Melbourne by suggesting the club merge with Melbourne.

Brady Rawlings dismisses suggestions the Kangaroos are fading in 2009 with North Melbourne sitting near the bottom in 13th place after 6 rounds.

"I disagree totally. We're one game off fourth spot," Rawlings said.

"It's such an early time of the season and it's such an even competition; you win the next couple of games and you're right back in it."

Aaron Edwards has had his driver's licence for four years after a traffic infringement incurred during Australia Day went to court on Monday.

John Anthony and Simon Taylor face time on the sidelines for on-field indisgretions.

Anthony was offered a week for headbutting Kangaroo Scott Thompson in the groin while Taylor has been handed a two-match ban for rough conduct against Carlton's Setanta O'hAilpin.

An unusual headbutt by Collingwood forward John Anthony is to come under scrutiny today.

Anthony was seen to have driven his head into North Melbourne's Scott Thompson's groin region during the third quarter of their clash.

North Melbourne's Daniel Pratt suffers a knee injury in the second quarter against Collingwood at Docklands.

Dean Laidley has thrown his support behind the push to induct Wayne Carey into the AFL Hall of Fame.

"He's been the best player at our football club but if that warrants him being selected this year or next year ... I think he deserves to be in there,” Laidley said.

Brent Harvey will undergo elbow surgery this week after severely damaging ligaments when tackled by Richmond's Daniel Jackson.

The injury will keep out of action for up to three months.

North Melbourne coach Dean Laidley says the Roos' forward line will benefit from the return of Aaron Edwards who returns from suspension.

"We've missed Aaron, there's no doubt about that," Laidley said.

"Now we're starting to get a little bit of a mix, a bit similar to what we had previously."

North Melbourne coach expresses his desire to remain as coach of the club.

"I want to coach here next year," he said.

"I feel rejuvenated with the younger guys, the Urquharts, the Hansens, Ben Warren, Levi Greenwood, who will play his first game this week, Jack Ziebell, Scotty Thompson and the others.

"I've been at this footy club basically since 1993.

"I've played here, I've painted the hallways, cleaned the pigeon droppings out of the old grandstand; I've cut the grass on the ground, I've run a Care for Kids program, I've been a development coach, I've been a senior coach.

"This football club means the world to me."

North Melbourne has raised the Showgrounds as an option to avoid what it believes will be an inevitable slow death if forced to continue operating under current arrangements at Etihad Stadium.

North Melbourne's Adam Simpson says teammate Aaron Edwards is poised to return to the side after being suspended by the leadership group for speeding and subsequently refusing an alcohol test on his way to training in January.

"He's been really good for such a long spell out," Simpson said.

"You'd think you could waver a bit but I haven't seen anything like that.

"The thing about Aaron is he's been playing. It's not a form issue and he's been playing pretty good footy so it's just going to come down to whether there's a spot there for him."

David Hale may have missed some gettable goals, but the big man was still the difference for the Kangaroos against Essendon on Sunday.

"It would have been good to ice the game with that kick but unfortunately I missed it. I missed one from the goal square as well," Hale said after the game.

"I could have ended up with a couple more so it was a bit disappointing, but it was good to get the confidence up and take some grabs again."

Glenn Archer has flagged interest in a potential coaching career, but first has an Ashes tour to plan.

Kangaroos midfielder Daniel Wells' hip injury ensures he will face an undetermined wait on the sidelines.

Scans reveal Wells has been carrying the injury for several weeks, but coach Dean Laidley was not using that as an excuse for Wells' unsatisfactory form.

"Once you go across the line and you've flagged yourself as being fit there's no excuses," Laidley said.

North Melbourne coach Dean Laidley has voiced his frustration about two of his under-performing stars: Daniel Wells and Corey Jones.

North Melbourne coach Dean Laidley says his players are still feeling the effects of the 'chicken' video furore.

North Melbourne is still in damage control mode as the fallout continues from the chicken video.

The Kangaroos' major sponsor Mazda has a get-out clause at the end of 2009 and that there is no guarantee the $1.5 million agreement will continue next season.

Enigmatic Kangaroo Daniel Wells admits he has thrown away at least two years at the top as the focus again falls on his form.

A meeting with his coach has convinced Josh Gibson to unburden himself of some of the issues he has been carrying into games recently.

Laidley told the media after Sunday's 54-point loss to Hawthorn that he had spent the first two days of last week with Gibson, who was in line to be dropped to the VFL after his poor start to the season.

"We just spoke about maybe some triggers to try to release some of that pressure during the week and play with a clearer mind," Gibson said.

"It was good. I just felt a little bit freer when I played."

North Melbourne captain Brent Harvey says his team must handle pressure better if they are to improve after losses to the Bulldogs and Hawthorn.

"When you go out there and you put yourself under pressure - obviously Hawthorn were pretty good on the weekend and their pressure was good - that certainly plays a part," Harvey said.

"When you lose by [nine] goals the effort's not there. The first half was pretty good but after half time we let ourselves down."

North Melbourne midfielder Daniel Wells is conscious of public scrutiny after a below par start to the season.

"It's not good enough," Wells said. "I need to be a lot more consistent. It's been the word of my career so far. It's getting a bit boring."

The controversy surrounding North Melbourne's inappropriate chicken video was no excuse for its poor showing against the Hawks, says Adam Simpson.

North Melbourne premiership player Shannon Grant says he has not ruled out an AFL coaching career.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou is satisfied with the way North Melbourne has dealt with the aftermath of the YouTube video affair.

Adam Simpson and Daniel Pratt have each been fined $5000 by North Melbourne for their involvement in the infamous 'chicken' video.

North Melbourne coach Dean Laidley says that senior players Adam Simpson and Daniel Pratt who were involved in the YouTube controversy are not guaranteed a game on Sunday.

North Melbourne's Adam Simpson and teammate Daniel Pratt face stiff fines for being the ringleaders behind a an outrageous chicken sex video.

North Melbourne will fine a handful of players who have admitted making and circulating a violent video.

The AFL has slammed the controversial Boris the chicken video linked with North Melbourne, saying it is offensive to all members of society.

Senior players Adam Simpson and Brent Harvey have told of their regret over an inappropriate video produced by North Melbourne players.

Several North Melbourne players were involved in making a "chook sex" video posted on Youtube.

Roos CEO Eugene Arocca called the video "stupid and thoughtless" and said he had spoken to all female members of the North Melbourne staff to let them know it was totally unacceptable.

But none of the players will face any sanctions over the incident, that has triggered outrage by anti-violence and women's advocates.

North Melbourne CEO Eugene Arocca has apologised for a video flimed in the club's rooms that depicted sex acts by a rubber chicken.

A degrading video filmed in the clubrooms of the North Melbourne Football Club and will be investigated by the club.

An explicit video filmed in the clubrooms of the North Melbourne Football Club and posted online has led to an investigation.

North Melbourne will strengthen its support of tagged captain Brent Harvey, starting with this week's clash with Hawthorn.

Brent Harvey says close tags and not the captaincy have contributed to his slow start to the season.

Liam Picken was given the job of minding Brent Harvey in his first AFL game and carried off the job with style.

Kangaroo Adam Simpson says his failed clearance late in the game was crucial in Sunday's loss to the Bulldogs.

"I'm just thinking about the last centre bounce. I've thrown it on the boot … but I've got caught up in the razzamatazz and got caught holding the ball and they went down and kicked a goal," he said.

"So I can't get that out of my mind at the moment and I feel responsible."

Leigh Harding's superb transition from back line to midfield did not surprise his teammate Adam Simpson.

Simpson yesterday said he saw "glimpses" of midfield potential last year but primarily cited the round-20 match against Carlton, in which Harding booted three goals, as the first time he realised the 27-year-old was a genuine onballer-in-waiting.

"He had one particular game against Carlton when I think he kicked two or three on (Chris) Judd running through the middle, so (I thought) he had the potential to come up," said Simpson.

Leigh Harding has had a career that has gone back and forward, but suddenly it appears he has found good, middle ground.

The 27-year-old Kangaroo, with nine pre-seasons' work behind him to build an appropriate "engine", proved a star in his new role as a midfielder in North Melbourne's season-opener against Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday.

North Melbourne midfielder Andrew Swallow savoured his early season opportunity against the Demons on Sunday.

Against the Demons, Swallow was North's most important player at the clearances. Nine of his 21 possessions were contested and he showed signs of his breakout 2007 season.

Adam Simpson believes players such as Leigh Harding and Hamish McIntosh will have heavy hands in shaping North Melbourne's season.

North Melbourne will continue mixing up its structure after successfully experimenting with Leigh Harding and Michael Firrito in the midfield.

North Melbourne coach Dean Laidley has vowed to continue with Leigh Harding and Michael Firrito in the midfield at the risk of exposing his backline.

Resurgent Kangaroos ruckman Hamish McIntosh had one more contested mark than Melbourne's entire 22 players at the MCG.

North Melbourne's Michael Firrito is loving life in the midfield.

North Melbourne chief executive Eugene Arocca believes the fight for better stadium deals in Victoria could drag on for two years.

An untimely foot injury will sideline North draftee Liam Anthony for up to six weeks.

Dean Laidley has confirmed that both Jack Ziebell and Liam Anthony will make their AFL debuts against Melbourne on Sunday.

North Melbourne draftee Liam Anthony says his WAFL experiences have set him up for a potential debut against Melbourne on Sunday

North Melbourne captain Brent Harvey says it's important his side makes the most of having its first 11 games in Victoria.

North Melbourne's NAB Cup loss to Carlton NAB Cup forced them "back to the drawing board", says captain Brent Harvey.

North Melbourne's recruiting boss was desperate to select Joel Selwood in the 2006 draft, but his hands were tied.

The Kangaroos' long-time scout, Neville Stibbard, was overruled by the club's medicos.

"Our medical staff said not to take him," Stibbard said yesterday.

Stibbard, who left Arden St last year, yesterday recalled his determination to take Selwood with the No. 3 pick. "I spent a lot of time with him. I went up to the family house and when I left, I was convinced he was an AFL player and an AFL captain," Stibbard said.

North Melbourne great Wayne Carey will tonight be inducted into the club's Hall of Fame.

Wayne Carey was welcomed back into the North Melbourne fold and offered an apology after seven years ago leaving the club in disgrace.

Midfielder Adam Simpson believes he may have to fight for a spot in the Kangaroos line-up this year.

Wayne Carey will be an ideal promotional weapon for North Melbourne according to former skipper Adam Simpson.

North Melbourne is undecided about how get Daniel Pratt back into their team as quickly as possible.

Wayne Carey has embarked on a challenging, confronting journey of discovery.

The Gold Coast-based AFL great is seeing emotional fitness specialists as he tries to build a new life and win respect.