The 2021 season could have gone any number of ways for Jack Ziebell.

Heading into pre-season the skipper had just turned 30, was in the final year of his contract, and was coming off the season in which he played the fewest games of his career. 

A hamstring injury restricted him to just eight games in 2020, and he averaged less than eight disposals per contest as he was thrown all around the ground.

However, a change of role under David Noble saw him play the best football of his career so far, as he finished third in the Syd Barker Medal, won a new two-year contract and became an integral veteran to this youthful North Melbourne side.

Having being named club captain aged just 25, and entering the leadership group at 21, Ziebell has always been a player to put the club first, and has ably led North on the field for half a decade.

He says his exceptional 2021 season is down to the hard work he put in getting his body right and learning his new role.

“I was focused on getting fit, then finishing the pre-season and learning a new role, so I had a bit on performance-wise,” Ziebell told the Herald Sun.

“I wasn’t thinking of a contract beyond last year at all until probably the second half of the year, or even late in the second half of the year.

“Thinking back 12 months ago, 2020 was by far my worst year of my career in terms of performance, and injuries didn’t help that … I was really happy with my [2021] and to get rewarded with a couple of years is great.

“I still think there is plenty left in the tank and I think I can have an impact on the ground so I’m really excited to get stuck in.”

Despite finishing bottom of the ladder, the Kangaroos made significant strides over the season under coach David Noble.

Emphasised by the victories over Carlton and West Coast, North’s new, attacking brand of football proved its lethality to the opposition when it all comes together.

The shortened 2021 pre-season was always going to create some problems according to Ziebell, but he says the club is well placed heading into the upcoming campaign.

“Having ‘Nobes’ come in late in the back of 2020 into a short pre-season, there were always going to be some teething issues, but we got more wins in the back half and had a few games where we were thereabouts against really good opposition,” he said.

“Our back half of the year was much better due to the fact we actually started to learn the game plan a bit more, and we understood what was required from each player.

“This off-season we’ve had unbelievable numbers at the club. The guys come in on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9am, and it’s not unusual to have 15 to 25 guys there.

“He’s flipped the way you would normally coach, having come in from senior management, but we are so rapt he’s the coach of the North Melbourne footy club.”

Alongside some of the club’s youngest stars in Ben McKay, Luke Davies-Uniacke and Cam Zurhaar, Ziebell was front and centre for the launch of North Melbourne’s new partnership with sportswear brand Puma.

The early stages of the partnership have been defined by the club’s return to tradition, with the jumper reverting to North’s heritage solid royal blue and white stripes.

Having worn Puma’s boots for a number of years, Ziebell says he’s excited to see what’s in store for the club’s new association with the brand.

“Puma’s a great brand. I’ve been with them for quite a few years, so when you love two things together in the Kangaroos and Puma it’s perfect,” he said.

“A nice royal blue through the jumper, it’s like the old-school look back in the 1990s.”