Sam Kekovich has spoken of the North Melbourne players’ feeling of redemption after winning the 1975 premiership.

The previous year, the Roos had lost by 41 points to Richmond in their second ever Grand Final appearance. But it wasn't going to happen again.

"Our night of revelry that took place after ‘74, which was regarded by and large by all North Melbourne people as a relatively successful year ... the one person who wasn’t terribly impressed was (Ron) Barassi, who really castigated and vilified most of us and me in particular,” Kekovich recalled on Tuesday.

"It wasn’t a fun place to be around North Melbourne or in Melbourne for that summer. There are not too many places you can hide after being embarrassed on the biggest stage on the last Saturday in September.

"We didn’t need to listen to Barassi even though he was a great motivator, but the reality was we didn’t need to have him inspire us, we knew what we had to do.

“Each and every one of us bore a big scar from the events of ‘74 and there’s no doubt that the events of ‘74 helped secure what we’d secured in ’75.

"It was a long, long period of time we had to endure to seek redemption, but we were fortunate that redemption was swift."

PRESS PLAY above to watch the Kekovich media conference | YouTube

While the Roos enjoyed a bitter rivalry with Hawthorn during the 70s, a 55-point Grand Final victory was the finest moment in their VFL history.

On Saturday, when the teams meet again, the club will celebrate 40 years since that memorable first premiership.

"It was such a very, very special day (in 1975). It seems like a lifetime, but my recollection of it is like it might have happened yesterday," Kekovich said.

"I always remember the prophetic words of the great Alan Killigrew in our old social club just across the road. The prophetic words were emblazoned on the wall: ‘Those that win North Melbourne’s first ever premiership will gain football immortality.’

"And I thought at the time, ‘What does that possibly mean?’ But, of course, as time wears on it does hold a fair bit of traction."

RELATED: 1975 - The Final Story (Part one)

Kekovich told of his respect for Barassi, who’d arrived at the club in 1973 after an illustrious playing and coaching career at Carlton and Melbourne.

"Barassi and I have a very, very close rapport now; as a matter of fact, we’re like brothers in arms," he said.

"Did I cause a few headaches? Look, you know as well as I do that I did – and most players do – but never to the stage where it was totally detrimental. It was more a challenge in those days.

"When you’ve got someone like Barassi … we were in awe of him and totally loved him – it was almost like a game.

"We loved to bait him and challenge and be in his presence, so it wasn’t as though I caused him a headache because I disliked him.

"He was just like a centrifugal force that would just drag you to him.

"I wanted to be someone that would challenge him on equal grounds."

Despite departing the club in 1976 and ultimately missing the club’s second premiership, Kekovich said he has no regrets.

"After ‘75, there was a sense of relief and a sense of achievement," he added.

"I would’ve liked to have gone on but I had a lot of injuries. I had a lot of knee operations and to be perfectly frank, footy didn’t hold the level of prominence that it once did."

And as for missing 1975 premiership photo…

"Where was I? Whilst I’ve got vivid recollections of the actual event from 2 o’clock to 5 o’clock, my memory is somewhat blurred from there on in," Kekovich said.

"The reality was that it got lost in translation somewhere and one of my regrets, if I may say so, is the fact that I wasn’t part of one of the most memorable parts of our history – and that is the premiership photo."

RELATED: Does Keka belong?

Here’s how it might have looked if he was available on the day.