[RELATED: The Year Ahead - Archer | The Year Ahead - King]

Sam Kekovich believes the entire North Melbourne team needs to make a statement this season after years of promise and potential.

The North champion, 1975 premiership player and former Syd Barker Medal winner expects the Roos to make the top four in 2015 and reward their fans with more finals success.

“I don’t think it’s about individual players making a statement, although there’s a few that would fall into that mix. I think it’s about the entire club making a statement,” Kekovich told NMFC.com.au in the past players survey.

“We’ve been a club that’s been regarded as ‘most likely’ to succeed and the club that’s had the ‘most potential’ for the last few years, so I think collectively the group needs to make a statement and that’s how I’d expect Scotty (Brad Scott) would be approaching this season.”

Still exhausted from his role as the official lamb ambassador on Australia Day, ‘Slammin’ Sam said he’s looking forward to the continued rise of Jack Ziebell as a player.

“Jack exudes all those wonderful qualities that North Melbourne is renowned for. He’s tough and hard at it, and he has a wonderful set of skills with strength on both sides of the body. He contests the ball fiercely so I’m looking forward to the next phase of his career without a doubt.”

Past player survey – Kekovich

1. What are your expectations of NMFC in 2015?
I would think I’m like most of the members and would have a liberal splash of optimism and that we’d look forward to a very, very successful year and certainly a top four finish.

2. Who will be NMFC's most improved player?
It’s always debatable and you could name one of 15 that could fall into that category but I’ve got a sneaking suspicion that it might be one of our recruits in Jarrad Waite. Now I know he hasn’t been a North Melbourne player, but he’s the sort of guy that could have a career year and take us to the next level. His very best is just what we need and he has the capacity to kick goals and win games. Key forwards win big games and he will be the prefect support to Drew Petrie. With him, North will be far more potent in attack.

3. Will Brent Harvey play again in 2016?
Brent Harvey could play on until the year 2040 if he so desires. Whether that would be beneficial to the North Melbourne Football Club or not is debatable. I suspect that Brent Harvey will play a very important role in the emergence of the club as a powerhouse in the coming years. He’d be a wonderful pinch hitter off the bench as a sub in the future.

4. What will the six-man forward line setup be in round one?
Petrie, Waite, Thomas, Black, Harvey, Ziebell

5. Which NMFC player are you most excited about seeing this season?
It’s a very good question. Aside from Jarrad Waite, I think most of us supporters are excited about Jack Ziebell.

6. Which player(s) need to make a statement?
The entire side needs to stand-up and be counted.

7. Where will NMFC finish after the home and away season?
Anywhere among the top four. I think we’ve proven conclusively that we’ve got the capacity to be able to beat the top sides so that certainly stands us in very good stead. If we can retain that sense of belief and confidence, I have no doubt that we can finish anywhere up there.

8. How many members will NMFC sign up?
I consider myself a very good marketeer, but one thing I can never comprehend is the fickle nature of the game. So, I’m feeling we’re going to be a top four side, we’re going to be very appealing to watch and very attractive to the marketplace. It’s quite conceivable that we can build on the 40,000 members last year and without being disparaging to the people that follow our great games, I think it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that with a few early victories, that we can probably aspire to 50,000 members.

9. Who is NMFC's most important player in 2015?
I’d probably say Todd Goldstein. Everything happens in the engine room and he’s given us wonderful coverage and delivery from there. In most games we’ve been able to display the dominance in the midfield and it’s directly attributable to his ruck work. I think we’d miss that presence if he was to fall over. We would miss him enormously.

10. Who will be the leading NMFC player in the following categories:
- Goals: Waite
- Tackles: Swallow
- Possessions: Swallow
- Marks: Petrie
- Contested possessions: Ziebell
- Clearances: Swallow

11. Complete the following sentence: If NMFC wins the Grand Final, I will:
…reveal everything that’s been concealed since 1974. Since that infamous photo of me that most of the world had been absolutely riveted by, because the people have been wondering just how anatomically gifted I really am.

[RELATED: The Year Ahead - Archer | The Year Ahead - King]

Do you agree with Sam? Tell us what you think in the comments section and we'll let him know.