North Melbourne calling time on club champions ends premiership aspirations

NORTH Melbourne’s decision to delist four of its most decorated players signals the end of the club’s premiership aspirations, writes Gilbert Gardiner.

Drew Petrie, Brent Harvey and Michael Firrito after a loss. Picture: George Salpigtidis

NORTH Melbourne’s decision to delist four of its most decorated players on the eve of the finals signals the end of the club’s premiership aspirations.

The premiership window isn’t just closed; it’s shattered into a thousand royal blue and white pieces.

North’s given up, and in doing so, treated Shinboners Brent Harvey, Drew Petrie, Michael Firrito and Nick Dal Santo with disdain.

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They all deserved better than to have the towel thrown in on their behalf.

Rightly or wrongly, Harvey is not only the Roos most versatile and durable player, but their best by a long margin.

He’s played 21 games this season alone, averaging 21 disposals in his 21st year at the club.

If anyone earned the right to walk on his own terms, it’s Boomer.

Brent Harvey and Drew Petrie will farewell North Melbourne at the end of the season.

Harvey won’t complain, he said as much talking about his future on the eve of record-breaking 427th game.

“I’d love to play football for as long as I can … that’s the truth, but unfortunately it doesn’t just revolve around me,” Harvey said last month.

“It’s how the club’s going, it’s how the team’s going, so there’s a lot of stars that have to align for that to happen and if it happened it will be fantastic.

“If it (doesn’t) happen I’ve had a decent career so I better not complain.”

Petrie and Firrito are the heart and soul of the football club, while Dal Santo came in search of an elusive premiership and leaves with nothing but a bad taste in his mouth after helping the Roos to back-to-back preliminary finals.

North coach Brad Scott says the decision was made in the best interests of the football club, not for this year or next, but beyond.

Unfortunately for Scott, his “rollercoaster of emotions” will be sent into overdrive when the first-to-fourth-year players report on day one of pre-season for his talent cupboard is bare.