Drew Petrie disappointed Lindsay Thomas will miss his 300th game after ban for high tackle

NORTH Melbourne’s newest 300-club member Drew Petrie is keen to play on for a 17th season next year.

NORTH Melbourne’s newest member of the 300-club Drew Petrie is keen to play on for a 17th AFL season next year, saying the drive to play in a premiership burns as bright as ever for him.

The 33-year-old will become the Kangaroos’ fifth player to reach 300 games — following on from Brent Harvey (415), Glenn Archer (311), Wayne Schimmelbusch (306) and Adam Simpson (306) — when the club takes on St Kilda at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

“I would like to be still playing footy at 34, but I have got to make sure I hold up my end of the bargain and perform,” Petrie said.

“I’ve been contributing, but I haven’t been setting the world on fire.

“But when you’re playing in a winning side, you’re just happy to do your little part.”

Petrie said this current Kangaroos side was the best team he had played with during his time at the club.

“They are the best group of players I’ve played with performance-wise, having played in the 2014 and last year’s prelims as well,” he said.

“The last time we played in a preliminary prior to this was 2007, and the lead up to that, the year before was ordinary and the year after that we bombed out in week one of the finals.

“This is the most consistent group with the most potential to (go) somewhere pretty special.”

He said he wasn’t getting carried away with the club’s six-nil start to the season — the first time the Kangaroos have achieved that since 1979 — saying “there is still a long way to go”.

“Playing in a premiership is what drives me still,” he said. “The last two years have been good, this year has been OK so far, but ... we are not getting carried away with things just yet.”

“But the potential is there with this group.”

Drew Petrie with the commemorative guernsey North Melbourne will wear for his 300th game. Picture: Getty Images

He is frustrated long-time teammate Lindsay Thomas won’t be there on Sunday, having yesterday accepted a one-game ban for a headhigh tackle on Bulldog Lachie Hunter last week.

Petrie said he thought Thomas was a victim of “trial by media” following the incident, which also gained more traction when Marcus Bontempelli said the following day that the Bulldogs were unhappy with the incident.

“I feel as though there has been a bit of trial by media with this one,” Petrie said when asked about ban.

“On the night it looked a high tackle, it was given a free kick and it was dealt with there and then. I thought that’s OK, that’s all there is to do with that.

“I didn’t think it would get this far, but I feel the way it has been reported gave it a bit of momentum and we are at the point now that ... he is not going to play this weekend.”

The 300-game milestone brought plenty of memories flooding back to Petrie this week.

“To me, it means so many people have supported me along the way, and I have reflected on that this week more than just me making 300 games,” he said.

“A couple who stand out are Brent Harvey, Glenn Archer, Leigh Colbert, John Blakey ... David King was the first bloke to come up and shake my hand ... Corey McKernan was the first bloke I had a partner stretch with out on the field.

“Those memories have come flooding back so far this week.”

Originally published as Drew Petrie disappointed Lindsay Thomas will miss his 300th game after ban for high tackle