North stalwart Michael Firrito has expressed the joy of having his son Lenny greet him after last Saturday night's elimination final to mark the end of his "memorable journey" in the AFL.

The 32-year-old said having his son and family members travel to Adelaide to watch his last game was a rewarding moment.

"My wife Bonnie is pregnant so she couldn't make the trip so she watched at home, and Mum, Dad and my little fella Lenny came across," Firrito told NMFC.com.au on Tuesday.

"To see Lenny come out and give me a big hug; kids change everything so it was an emotional time but to have him there was really nice.

"We really wanted to give a better account of ourselves than what we did (against Adelaide), but it's been a memorable journey.

"I'll retire now knowing that I've given it everything that I've got and got the best out of myself, and had an absolute ball doing it."

The 62-point loss to the Crows signalled the end of Firrito's 14-season, 275-game career at the elite level.

Firrito was elevated off the Roos' rookie list in 2003 and will be remembered for his fierce competitiveness as well as his ability to play on small and tall forwards.

The 189cm backman's career was at the crossroads in 2013, when a persistent knee injury threatened to derail his playing days.

However, Firrito's world changed in September that year after signing a contract extension and welcoming the arrival of son Lenny, all within the space of 48 hours.

"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."

Firrito also thanked the club and its loyal supporters for their unwavering support over his career.

"I came in just a boy (but) I leave a man, a father, a husband and I'm just a better person because of it," he said.

"The fans always come out and support us at training (and) during games, and I feel like I've got a really good rapport with them.

"Hopefully they like me because I certainly love them. I'll just be sitting in the stands with you guys, so I'll be barracking just as hard as you guys are to support our next premiership, which is hopefully not too far away."