Kieran Harper Biography

North Melbourne delists Kieran Harper.

Harper, 23, loomed as one of the Kangaroos' brightest prospects when he played 37 matches in 2011 and 2012 before a combination of injury and form saw him on the outer.

He missed the start of 2015 with a knee injury but hopes a strong finish with Werribee in the VFL will see him on another club's radar.

In the final year of his contract and coming off a year ruined by injury, North Melbourne's Kieran Harper is preparing for a 'do-or-die' season in 2015.

Harper, who has not played a senior match since round three 2013, knows he must get out on the park and perform to get a new deal.

"I'm just going to put everything into it. I try and think I do that with every single session I do," Harper said.

"I've just got to make the most of it and leave nothing to chance. Put my best foot forward and play my best footy and hopefully they see the faith in me and re-sign me again."

Kieran Harper has emerged as a key part of the deal North Melbourne is putting together in an attempt to lure Western Bulldog Adam Cooney to Arden Street.

Harper, 22, has completed a medical test with the Bulldogs and is open to the possibility of a change of club after struggling with injury and form over the past two seasons.

Kieran Harper has surgery to tidy up a troublesome ankle in preparation for the 2014 season and is expected to return to full training in six weeks.

"We always knew there'd be a chance of a follow-up procedure with Kieran before the start of the season,' North Melbourne's director of football Geoff Walsh said.

"We managed to get some significant work into him following the Christmas break, but in order to allow him to reach his full potential this season and beyond, the time was right for Kieran to undergo this additional procedure."

Kieran Harper will have to be eased into the pre-season after undergoing surgery on his left ankle this week.

The 21-year-old had an arthroscope to repair a problem that emerged during the season, after the injury failed to heal itself with post-season rest.

He will now be on modified duties at the Kangaroos' altitude camp in Utah in November, but will be fully fit for the start of the 2014 season.

"Ideally it would have been good to have had the surgery sooner, but sometimes you need to give these things time, because you don't want to operate on absolutely everything that comes under your nose," North Melbourne director of medical services Steve Saunders said.

"His Utah program will be modified somewhat – he won't be able to do the volume of running and weight-bearing work we'd planned.

"But in terms of what Kieran needs to get out of it in order to be ready for next season, it should all be fine."

Kieran Harper will miss up to four weeks after injuring his ankle in the VFL.

"He'll be in a moon boot for the next week … worst case would be four weeks, but we're hoping to get him back well before then, perhaps in two weeks if all goes well," North Melbourne director of medical services Steve Saunders said.

Kieran Harper has re-signed with North Melbourne until the end of 2015 despite a slow start to the season that saw him dropped to the VFL after round three.

North midfield coach Darren Crocker says the club plans to develop Harper into a role similar to the one Daniel Wells currently plays.

"That guy who can come into the midfield, has real power, speed and agility, can pounce on the loose ball and make something out of nothing with stoppages and congestion," Crocker said of their vision for Harper.

"We really set it up so we were developing Kieran on the same lines as Wellsy. Matching those guys up so he can learn from Daniel has been really good for him."

Adelaide defender Matthew Jaensch and midfielder Richard Douglas have extended their contracts with the Crows.

"Richard has won a best-and-fairest but he is now entering the prime years of his football career, so we look forward to him continuing to being a key part of this new era under Brenton Sanderson," Adelaide football operations general manager Phil Harper said about Douglas.

Harper also expressed delight in securing the services of Jaensch.

"His pace and elite kicking skills make him an important member of our team, now and into the future," Harper said in a statement.

"We are very happy Matthew has re-committed to the team as we enter an exciting period for the club."

Adelaide has axed three players from its rookie list, including Lachlan Roach, Jake von Bertouch and former Brisbane Lion Chris Schmidt

"We wish all these lads the best for the future," Crows football manager Phil Harper said.

"Chris, in particular, worked hard for his opportunities with us despite having a bad run with injuries."

Kieran Harper makes his AFL debut for North Melbourne at Docklands Stadium with 12 disposals (7 kicks and 5 handballs), 5 marks, 2 tackles and a goal in a 60-point win over Port Adelaide.