Jarrad Waite may turn 36 at the end of the year (December 29) and may be the fourth oldest player in the AFL behind Shaun Burgoyne, Aaron Sandilands and Dale Morris, but there are no signs of him slowing down anytime soon. In fact, many are calling for the veteran’s contract with North to be extended for another year, making it 17 years in the system.

“I looked at Jarrad Waite when we got him and thought, ‘We’ll get him for two years and that’s about it’. But he’s pushing through and there’s no reason why he couldn’t go again next year, at this stage,” Brent Harvey said.

“I know Ben Brown is going really well and Shaun Higgins is a great player, but he could nearly be North Melbourne’s most important player, ‘Waitey’.”

Harvey believes the Kangaroos are managing Waite’s body and training loads perfectly.

“He got rested a couple of weeks ago and I think they looked back to last year and the year before,” he told the Herald Sun.

“He’s as good as anyone on the track. He’s also a good teacher to the kids at training as well. He’ll call them in, stop a drill and he sees the game really well. He’s happy to express his opinion to make the side better.”

According to Geelong defender, former Carlton team-mate and close friend for Waite’s, Lachie Henderson, the secret to the veteran forward’s success is keeping life simple and surfing.

“He’s very good on the board. I reckon he’s always got me covered,” Henderson said.

“He’s just a country lad from Benalla that loves the simple things like surfing, mates and having his family (wife Jackie and children Teddy and Lola) close to him.

“He was just born to play footy, the big fella … He’s one of those blokes who, when he gets out on the ground, he’s just meant to be there.

“The great thing about him is he’s just a genuine footballer.”

So far this season, Waite has kicked 22.11 in nine games despite spending time up on a wing and in defence.