A mate of mine who follows the Kangaroos religiously said recently that he genuinely fears for the future of this current North Melbourne team once Brent Harvey calls it a day.
When I reassured him that Harvey, by the very nature of his tremendous 2014 form, still has at least another 50 games left in those old legs, my mate scoffed, “but what happens if he breaks down tomorrow?”
The pessimism was real and his cynicism was obviously spawned from recent seasons of watching this current North Melbourne team bunny-hop, then stall, then idle and cruise only to bunny-hop and stall again.
My mate was adamant. “No Harvey no North!”
So it got me thinking whether North Melbourne are too heavily reliant on a bloke who is already well into his 19th season of AFL football. And the answer is pretty simple – yes.
At 36 years of age, Brent ‘Boomer’ Harvey is still North Melbourne’s best player. For Harvey to still hold the mantle as the club’s most influential player is a monumental achievement, but for the footy club and the rest of the North Melbourne playing group it is an indictment.
Surely the time is now for Harvey’s teammates to finally extract the digit and relieve the legend of the pressures that go with being the go-to man.
With 370 games under his belt, Boomer should have earned the luxury of spending the twilight years of his illustrious career sitting in a forward pocket with an occasional run on the ball rather than being tagged and pestered by the opposition’s best run-with player.
For opposition clubs who are big on employing stoppers, it is Boomer they put the most work into when they plan against the Kangaroos. And as an opposition supporter, you are only petrified of Brent Harvey when it comes to North Melbourne. Boomer can rip you to shreds in the blink of an eye.
When the Kangaroos face the Dockers it is Fremantle’s notorious tagger Ryan Crowley – arguably the game’s best – who goes straight to the veteran. Such is the importance of Harvey to the Kangaroos’ team that Crowley spends as much time getting under the skin of the little champ as he does any other player in the competition.
And it doesn’t end with Ryan Crowley.
When the Kangaroos face the Tigers, Harvey more often than not gets Daniel Jackson; against the Blues, Ed Curnow; against the Saints, Clinton Jones; against the Bombers, Heath Hocking. More recently, Boomer had the pleasure of Brent Macaffer’s company for the afternoon.
Some pundits even made the assumption after Harvey’s average performance in North Melbourne’s season-opening loss to Essendon that he only played scintillating football against the weak to mid-range opponents, and struggled to bring his best to the big stage.
The belief is quite ridiculous considering the amount of attention Harvey is afforded on a weekly basis, and the lack of support he has been given since Brad Scott took over the senior job of the Kangaroos at the beginning of the 2014 season.
It is no coincidence that North Melbourne’s poor start to 2013, when they won only two out of their first six games and subsequently missed the finals after making an elimination final in 2012, was on the back of Harvey’s six-week suspension at the beginning of last season.
Even in his mid-thirties the opposition were rapt Boomer wouldn’t be there.
Harvey continues to defy logic that footballers slow down once they hit 30. One could mount a strong case that Boomer is as effective today as he was as a 22 year-old, when in 1999 he was awarded the EJ Whitten medal for best man on the ground when he dominated for Victoria in a State of Origin game against South Australia at the MCG.
Harvey has played every game this season and his average disposal count of 26, if maintained, will be his best average in an entire season since he debuted as an 18-year-old in 1996. If North Melbourne counted their best and fairest voting after Round 12, he would be collecting his sixth Syd Barker Medal.
Furthermore, Harvey has the ability to break the lines and kick crunch goals when the side needs one like nobody else in the Kangaroo line-up. While other North Melbourne players drift in and out of form, Harvey continues to be the one reliable constant of this football club.
He remains the barometer of a side that too often lacks consistency, urgency and direction.
With key big man and fellow veteran Drew Pretrie desperately out of touch in 2014, the weight of North Melbourne’s finals aspirations and successes appear to be riding on Harvey’s shoulders.
North Melbourne, who just hang on to a spot in the Top 8, face a resurgent Melbourne Football Club this Sunday. The Demons have shown this season that they are more than capable, defensively at least, of matching it with the best.
One thing is for certain – if the Kangaroos sit back and wait for the old bloke wearing the No. 29 to ignite, then the Dees will be in this one up to their eyeballs.
Cam Mann
Roar Rookie
Harvey is an amazing player and I love watching guys like he and Lenny Hayes keep pushing their bodies to the brink year after year when football lore says they should be done. Harvey knows no other way than to hell for leather at every game he plays. But I couldn't agree more that he should not be the talisman for the team. You have to wonder if North have recruited too heavily toward grunt and strength and not enough silk. It's obvious Daniel Wells hasn't had the impact that you would expect from a Number 2 pick. Injuries granted, but he is still an inconstant player. Swallow should be pushing for Brownlow status having seen some of the skill he sometimes exudes. It looks like they've noted this lack of outside players and went after Boak and Dal Santo.... but they'll need a Boomer -Mark II if they want to take that next step they're teetering on!
Cat
Roar Guru
What a ridiculous statement, no reason to retire when he still wants to play and is playing well.
Shouts Chen
Guest
Brent Harvey should retire immediately. Given the fact he was 36 yeras of age, he was the record holder for the most games played for North Melbourne.
unknown
Guest
brent harvey would have to be one of the most overrated players in the AFL thanks to the Victoria-centric media.
Heath Buck
Guest
Boomer missed rounds 1,2,3,4,5 and 6 last season.
Cat
Roar Guru
if he is seen as the one winning the majority of games off his own boot while his teammates fail to do the same ... yes I expect people would ask the same questions. Boomer missed rounds 1,2,3,4,7, 16 and 17 last year, NM went 2-5 in those games. Not sure thats quite 'playing well.
Heath Buck
Guest
Sorry Gene it should have read when Brad Scott took over in 2009 not 2014 which I wrote. Josh I reckon if the Suns haven't regularly competed in the finals and even possibly won a grand final by the time G Ablett is 36 then it would be a knock on them. Excuse me did you say North played played really well when Boomer was suspended last year?
Josh
Expert
Us Roos supporters tend to be inconsolably morose after a bad loss, I'd say your friend is just going through the same thing that we all are this week... Really people just love to have a dig at us and pick out Boomer and say "he's too old, you shouldn't rely on him" every time he has a good game. But, we played pretty well in that six week stretch where he was suspended. Hopefully we don't have good reason to be proving it any time soon, but the team still plays pretty well Boomer or no. We're just awful in Adelaide ;) Never ceases to amaze me really when people say "it's bad that your best player is 36 years old". Will people say that about Gary Ablett when he's cruising around for the Suns at a simillar age?
Cat
Roar Guru
"Brad Scott took over the senior job of the Kangaroos at the beginning of the 2014 season" Ummm no. Scott took over in 2009.
roororse
Guest
Too true, Heath. If he was afforded the luxury of spending most of his time in the forward line, he would probably give the Coleman Medal a shake. Several players in the engine room get a game on reputation. Time to be ruthless at the trade table and go after players who can fully complement the little champ.