Brad Scott’s contract extension at the conclusion of the 2017 season has provided the North playing group with added stability and confidence, Jamie Macmillan says.

Scott was re-signed until the end of 2020 in August.

“From my view (the contract extension is) paramount. You look at guys like Robbie Tarrant, Jack Ziebell, Shaun Higgins and for them to know where we are and have that stability in place, we can knuckle down and work towards a plan,’’ Macmillan told The Herald Sun.

“Rather than say we are playing out the year not knowing and uncertain.

“Particularly the older guys, they are saying 'what is my footy like in the next couple of years?'.

“For the club to say, ‘This is the plan’, it gives you a sense of purpose playing this year. We are helping these young kids improve and I am rapt he’s signed on.

“I signed on as well to 2020 and we might go out together in style.”

Macmillan believes Scott can lead North back to the finals, and while many have been quick to write off the most inexperienced list in the league, that sentiment certainly isn’t echoed internally.

“We were playing prelims two or three years ago and last year we missed the finals for the first time in years,” Macmillan said.

“If we aren’t playing finals this year we will be pretty disappointed and shattered, but we have some good kids who are keen as mustard to play on that big stage.

“I am most excited about the guys who have been here for three or four years. Guys like Ben Brown and Luke McDonald haven’t been here forever, and Mason Wood.

“Those guys can go up another five or 10 per cent, then we have got guys like Jy Simpkin who had a ripping year and third-year players like Ryan Clark and Mitch Hibberd.

“They are the ones I would be keeping an eye on.”