Brad Scott believes legacy of departing North Melbourne stars will last for generations

NORTH Melbourne coach Brad Scott believes the legacy of the four departing Kangaroos veterans will last for generations as the club bowed out of the 2016 finals race.

Brent Harvey and Drew Petrie walk off for the final time as North Melbourne players. Picture: Michael Klein

NORTH Melbourne coach Brad Scott believes the legacy of the four departing Kangaroos veterans will last for generations after the club bowed out of the 2016 finals race.

But Scott insisted after Saturday night’s 62-point elimination final loss to Adelaide at Adelaide Oval that the tough calls had been made for the next generation of Kangaroos players.

“The overwhelming feeling is one of reflecting on the legacy those guys will leave us,” Scott said.

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“Everyone will remember the great deeds on field and everyone within the club will remember all of the boys and what they did for us off field.

“But overriding all that will be the legacy for the next generation of North Melbourne footballers who will get to experience the culture and the legacy that Brent Harvey, Michael Firrito, Drew Petrie and Nick Dal Santo left for them.”

“There is no doubt the landscape will look completely different next year. They will leave a huge legacy, but there are plenty of guys who are hungry and eager to fill those holes.”

Brent Harvey thanks the Adelaide Oval crowd as he walks off.

Harvey made an emotional address to the playing group in the rooms after the match, the content of which Scott said will remain in house, on one of the most emotional nights in the club’s history.

But with the AFL games record holder fielding interest from other teams to play on elsewhere next year, Scott said the Kangaroos would never try to influence Harvey’s decision.

“In my view, it is never a coach’s role to retire players, ever,” he said. “I was determined never at any stage to coerce, force or direct Boomer with what he wanted to do.”

“I am charged with the responsibility of doing the right thing by our football club, but I still regard myself as being a players’ coach.

“Things that have unfolded in the second half of the year have been as tough as any period of my time in footy. But we will not force Boomer to make a decision one way or the other. The decision will be entirely his.”

Brent Harvey and Lindsay Thomas embrace after the match.

Scott said the Kangaroos, who won the first nine games of the season to finish with only three wins from their last 14 games, had been completely outplayed by an Eddie Betts-’inspired Adelaide last night before almost 50,000 fans.

“We came over here to win the game and acquit ourselves well,” he said. “We couldn’t quite get the ascendancy in a few areas that we tried to. We were close a few times but to Adelaide’s credit they kicked away.”

“We are bitterly disappointed. We were really disappointing in the third quarter, skills errors, poor tackling and when you play that way against Adelaide, who have such a dangerous offence, they make you pay.”

He praised the performance of four-goal forward Majak Daw, who provided a real spark in attack, and Lindsay Thomas, who toiled hard for his three goals.