AFL games record holder Brent Harvey to play at North Heidelberg if not recruited by a top level club

BRENT Harvey will play at North Heidelberg next year if he does not play AFL, with a decision on his future potentially by the end of the week.

Brent Harvey could make a decision on his playing future by the end of the week, according to brother Shane. Picture: Michael Klein

BRENT Harvey will play at North Heidelberg next year if he does not play AFL, with a decision on his future at the top level potentially by the end of the week.

However, Harvey’s brother, Shane, said he believed an AFL club would recruit the 38-year-old.

“He doesn’t really say a great deal but I know there has been a little bit of interest from a few different clubs,” Harvey said.

“I think he is a little bit too good to be playing local footy just yet, going by his form.

“I still think an AFL club will snaffle him up but having said that, we would obviously love to have him.”

North Melbourne will hold its best and fairest count on Friday night and Harvey believed his older brother could know by then if he wanted to play at another AFL club next year.

Shane Harvey will be joined by brother Brent at North Heidelberg next year if he does not play AFL. Photo: Glenn Daniels

Harvey, a Northern Football League star, said family connections would see ‘Boomer’ return to North Heidelberg if he played local footy but expected rival clubs to try convince him otherwise.

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“I don’t think any local footy club in the world would have seen a bigger recruit than him,” he said.

“He’d be the best player in the Northern Football League by the length of the Flemington straight.

“If they didn’t try get his number and at least offer him something they wouldn’t be doing their job properly.”

Harvey said he was still coming to terms with the AFL games record holder being dumped by North Melbourne.

“This is the first conversation I’ve had about it, I’ve been pretty down over the past month since it happened,” he said.

“It is hard to come to terms with because he is still playing so well.

“If he had have stayed at the Kangaroos he might have had another two or three years left in him.

“I think he is still in the best at North Melbourne but it is a real shame he won’t be there.”