Brent Harvey could play on if the right club appears, Glenn McFarlane says there’s two

BRENT Harvey isn’t ready to give it all away and there are two clubs that fit the bill perfectly, writes Glenn McFarlane.

Brent Harvey will leave North Melbourne at the end of the year. Picture: Hamish Blair

BRENT Harvey isn’t ready to give it away just yet, and for the right club from the right location at the right stage of their premiership window, he might prove to be the right recruit for 2017.

As the dust settles on the most controversial list management decisions of the season, indeed for many seasons, Harvey has left the door wide open - not just ajar - to play on elsewhere next year.

Harvey won’t make any rash decisions, and won’t even consider any possible options until after the Kangaroos’ season is done.

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But even his premiership teammate and great friend David King rated him a “certainty” to play on next year, and if the right club comes knocking, that’s what will happen.

The only thing counting against him is his birth certificate. And let’s face it, he has made a mockery of that for countless seasons now,

This year has been no different. He has kicked more than 30 goals, given many more off to teammates, could finish in the top five of the Kangaroos’ best and fairest at season’s end, and has shown no sign of slowing down.

Brent Harvey could be tempted to play on in 2017. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

And just as the Kangaroos had the right to make their decision on Harvey, he has the same right to play on elsewhere if he thinks - or knows - that has enough petrol left in the tank to chase the only thing that matters to him now - a second premiership.

Given his age and circumstance, only a handful of clubs would fit the Harvey bill.

Some would say that he should remain a Kangaroo forever, but he will be that anyway, whether he plays on elsewhere or not.

It is understood that he would only be prepared to play for a club likely to contend for a flag next year, and isn’t keen on leaving Victoria, with his young family deeply entrenched in the outer north-east suburbs of Melbourne.

So, barring a shock, that knocks out the non-Victorian clubs, and potentially Geelong, for geographical reasons. Another complicating factor for the Cats is that they are coached by Chris Scott, brother of Kangaroos coach Brad, who acknowledged just how difficult it was to deliver the bad news to Harvey.

That leaves Hawthorn, and the Western Bulldogs, and while neither has yet indicated they would be prepared to take Harvey as a delisted free agent - on a modest remuneration package of between $250,000 to $300,000 - if he can retain his form of 2016, he would make a difference to both clubs.

Alastair Clarkson played his cards close to his chest on Saturday when asked about Harvey, but interestingly enough didn’t dismiss it out of hand.

Why would he? Can you imagine the swarm of small forwards if Harvey was brought alongside the likes of Cyril Rioli and Paul Puopolo.

The Hawks have always extracted the best out of their older brigade, as evidenced by the re-signings of Luke Hodge, Josh Gibson and Shaun Burgoyne last week, as well as the earlier signing of Sam Mitchell.

Hawthorn tried to recruit Harvey the last time he had a contract dispute with North Melbourne - at the end of the 2012 season - and while that was four years ago, it shows how much regard the Hawks have for him.

The only downside is that with so many 30-plus players on their list, the Hawks and their astute list manager Graham Wright have their own issues - and potentially some hard decisions to make - at the end of next season.

The Bulldogs are an interesting exercise, given their issues in attack. Harvey is precisely what the Dogs need - a small forward who could boot 30 or more goals in a season, with some time spent on the ball.

Harvey would need to adapt to their defensive pressure game style, but there is little doubt he would do that if a flag loomed as the reward.

Some would say that he should remain a Kangaroo forever, but he will be that anyway, whether he plays on elsewhere or not.

But in going around again in 2017, albeit in a different coloured jumper, Harvey might give himself the chance to go out with a companion to his 1999 premiership medal.