Michael Firrito Biography

Luke McDonald inherits North Melbourne's No.11 guernsey most famously worn by 'Shinboner of the Century' Glenn Archer.

Michael Firrito wore No.11 after Archer retired at the end of 2007, but after hanging his boots up recently the defender decided McDonald, 21, was the Roo best placed to uphold the revered jumper's values.

McDonald wore No.21 in his first three seasons at Arden St, but had no hesitation when Firrito approached him about switching numbers.

"It was a no-brainer. I was really excited and I just want to put it on and have him (Firrito) watch me," McDonald said.

"I just can't wait to wear it on the field and feel like I have those guys (Firrito and Archer) on my back.

"Two of the biggest Shinboners ever have worn it and that's why I'm really excited to wear it because there is that added pressure I can never shirk a contest ever again.

"When you're a young bloke coming to the club the No.11 is the jumper you want to wear because that pretty much typifies the Shinboner spirit."

North Melbourne coach Brad Scott says he regrets announcing during the season that veterans Brent Harvey, Drew Petrie, Michael Firrito and Nick Dal Santo would not be offered contracts for 2017 by the club.

Scott said he stuck by his promise to inform the quartet as soon as possible, but acknowledged he would have waited until the Kangaroos' season had ended before making a public announcement.

"We were very disappointed that it was messaged the way it was but in terms of the players themselves, 'Boomer' [Harvey] in particular, he doesn't feel disrespected in any way, shape or form," Scott said.

"If I had my time again, I still would've told him because I gave him that commitment that I'd tell him, but I probably would've said, 'Mate, it's not the time now to announce it ? You know so you've got some clarity around the situation but for the club's sake, we need to announce this post-season'.

"No doubt the messaging to the members didn't go as we would've liked but in terms of the relationship with the players involved and the honesty and integrity that was shown, I have absolutely no issue with that."

Michael Firrito confirms his retirement from AFL football, after 275 games from his 14 seasons.

"The last three years have probably been the most enjoyable time of my career," Firrito said.

"I thought I was done at the end of 2013 and I think most of the football world had put a line through me.

"The journey and the growth of myself as a footballer and as a person has all been under this roof … and hopefully I've left a mark for other players to follow as well."

North Melbourne champion Brent Harvey made an emotional farewell after bringing his illustrious 432-game career at the Kangaroos to a close.

The AFL/VFL games record-holder picked up 25 possessions in his club's 62-point elimination final loss to Adelaide at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.

Both clubs formed a tunnel to honour Harvey along with fellow departing veterans Drew Petrie, Nick Dal Santo and Michael Firrito as they left the ground, while Harvey also gave a thumbs up to the Kangaroos supporters.

North Melbourne has dropped a bombshell by announcing veterans Brent Harvey, Drew Petrie, Michael Firrito and Nick Dal Santo will not be offered new contracts for 2017.

The news comes with one round left in the home and away season and with the Roos' finals campaign still to play out.

"The club is indebted to these four individuals for their professionalism, leadership, attitude and competitiveness," a statement from the club read.

North Melbourne legend Wayne Carey has backed the Kangaroos' controversial decision to not offer veteran quartet Brent Harvey, Drew Petrie, Michael Firrito and Nick Dal Santo contracts for 2017.

"I know it's sad but unfortunately the club is bigger than any one individual," Carey said.

"Clearly they have not come to this decision lightly. [North Melbourne coach] Brad Scott and others that have sat down and have made it for the benefit of the club for the next 15 or 20 years going forward."

North Melbourne chairman James Brayshaw says future considerations dictated the club's need to cull their veteran quartet that included Brent Harvey, Drew Petrie, Michael Firrito and Nick Dal Santo.

"I think we needed a pretty aggressive reset to give our club the best chance of playing in and winning its fifth premiership," Brayshaw said.

"I think we need to get back to the draft, we need to get some really good quality kids into the place.

"We've got some already, but we need to add to that and we would be looking in this next five-year period to have a very strong on-field performance with sustained on-field success."

A controversial free kick against Michael Firrito has generated considerable debate.

Port forward Jay Schulz was tackling Firrito in the goalsquare when the North backman handballed through the rushed behind.

Schmitt paid the free against Firrito for a deliberate rushed behind and Schulz kicked the easiest of goals to put Port on the board.

Umpires coach Hayden Kennedy backed Justin Schmitt after his controversial free against the North Melbourne defender in the opening minute of Saturday's loss to Port Adelaide.

"He thought Michael then had an opportunity to dispose of the ball," Kennedy said when explaining umpire Justin Schmitt's decision.

"He doesn't and once he gets tackled, he handballs it with force well over the (goal) line.

"Justin weighed up those two particular items and because of the distance away from the (goal) line and from where it (the handball) landed, he thought it was a deliberate rushed behind."

Michael Firrito re-signs with the Roos for 2016 after a strong season in defence in which he missed just two games, one through suspension in round 19 and another when he was one of nine players rested a week before the finals.

"I'm rapt. It was a long process, but obviously I've had a couple of issues with my body, so there's always a question mark to see how the body's going to hold up," Firrito said.

"But the body was holding up well and over the last three years I've become quite experienced at not signing until after the season."

Michael Firrito's remarkable 2014 return to form has earned him a new one-year deal with North Melbourne.

"I'm just excited to kick on for another 12 months, but who knows what lies ahead?" Firrito said.

"I will certainly put my head down and bum up and work pretty hard because it feels like – and this is just my opinion – that we are on the cusp of something pretty exciting and I certainly want to be part of it."

Michael Firrito says it was a relief being dropped from the side due to poor form and injuries last year, ending his nine-year senior run.

"It all just got on top of me in the end," Firrito said.

"My limited pre-season obviously took a toll and then when you're not really training during the week it's a bit of a snowball effect: you're out of form and you can't really change it on the training track. You just have to rely on those two hours on the weekend.

"Brad (Scott) was really good throughout it. It was something we'd spoken about for a while and we pretty much came to the conclusion together that it wasn't the best thing for me to be out there or the best thing for the team.

"It was difficult and hard but it was certainly the right decision. Physically, I wasn't able to do the things that I'm normally capable of."

Michael Firrito signs a one-year deal with North Melbourne and says he wants to prove his doubters wrong.

"It's going to be exciting times at the football club. I've been here for a long time but I want to be a part of the future," Firrito said.

"I still think I have something to add – I've probably got a few knockers out there that disagree but I'm certainly prepared to get back to working hard and seeing where the season takes us."

North Melbourne faces an incredibly tough decision on Michael Firrito's future at the end of this season, but coach Brad Scott insists the club and veteran defender will make a mutual call on whether he plays on in 2014.

"Because Michael Firrito is the heart and soul of this football club, and he personifies the way we play and the way we go about things, it's always going to be an incredibly tough decision when the time comes that he makes the call," Scott said.

"But I think like I do with all players; we'll sit down and discuss their form, their fitness, how they think they're travelling, their motivation to play on and I think we'll come to a mutual decision.

"The player has to have buy in, and I think when you're a player like Michael Firrito that's played well over 200 games, he's earned that right."

As the Kangaroos embark on their 2012 finals campaign, Michael Firrito says he wants to end his career as a one-club player and hopes to help the Roos taste glory.

"The club's given me so much and I can see we're certainly on the right track and I'd love to see this club where it belongs, back up the top of the ladder," Firrito said.

"This is my 10th season at the footy club now so I certainly want to reach some of that success and it starts this week.

"It's a fantastic opportunity to play in a final, but we don't want to leave it as one - we want to go deep into this finals series."

North Melbourne's Michael Firrito and Matt Campbell have received contract extensions.

"Mick has a terrific opportunity to assume more leadership responsibility with the retirement of Brady Rawlings," chief of football Donald McDonald said about Firrito's signing.

"We're extremely pleased to have Matty re-sign with the club for another two seasons. For him personally it's a great opportunity to build on his strong finish to the year following some bad luck with injuries."

Michael Firrito suffered an ankle scare during a pre-season camp on the Gold Coast but North Melbourne's club doctor says he'll be ready for the NAB Cup.

Firrito received a knock from teammate Ben Warren's knee during last Friday's training session, and rolled the ankle in the same incident.

North Melbourne's Michael Firrito is confident consistency will return with the more football he plays as a defender in 2010.

"I played some good footy at times and then I'd go missing for a couple of weeks," he said.

"I guess I've always played down back a bit more where it's probably a bit easier to be consistent [than] going through the midfield."

Hawthorn faces the prospect of losing one of its in-form midfielders for Saturday night's crucial clash against Collingwood.

Hawthorn will decide this morning whether to challenge Lewis's penalty for striking North Melbourne's Michael Firrito in the third quarter in Launceston on Sunday.

The AFL tribunal has cleared Jordan Lewis of striking Michael Firrito.

Despite Lewis admitting he had delivered a punch to the stomach of North Melbourne midfielder Michael Firrito, the Hawks successfully argued the force of the strike was "not more than negligible".

"I'm very happy," Lewis said after the hearing. "Obviously no excuses for what I did ... the force wasn't too hard and I'm very lucky to get off."

North Melbourne will continue mixing up its structure after successfully experimenting with Leigh Harding and Michael Firrito in the midfield.

North Melbourne coach Dean Laidley has vowed to continue with Leigh Harding and Michael Firrito in the midfield at the risk of exposing his backline.

North Melbourne's Michael Firrito is loving life in the midfield.

Hamish McIntosh, Brady Rawlings, Michael Firrito, Corey Jones and Daniel Pratt sign contract extensions with North Melbourne.

"We see it as an endorsement of what the club has been achieving over the last six months," chief executive Eugene Arocca said.

"Players who want to play at North Melbourne stay at North Melbourne and history has generally been that this is a great place to be. It's a unique club."