Every North Melbourne player will be looking to add to their AFL games totals in season 2022. Here are those who are set to chalk up significant milestones, and when and where they might happen.
250 games - Jack Ziebell (239)
The skipper could become the 12th man in North history to reach the 250 game milestone, and the first to do so since Todd Goldstein in 2020.
Having played across all lines for North across his career, it appears Ziebell will bring up the milestone in defence after a resurgent 2021 season that saw him finish third in the Syd Barker Medal.
Form and fitness allowing, Ziebell will reach the milestone in Round 11's clash with St Kilda, to be played on our home deck at Marvel Stadium.
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150 games - Jared Polec (146), Aaron Hall (144), Luke McDonald (137)
Jared Polec will be hoping to put an injury-hit 2021 season behind him and play the four more games he needs to reach the 150-game milestone.
Having played for Brisbane and Port Adelaide before reaching Arden Street, Polec's potential 150th career game against the Lions at the Gabba in Round 4 will be his 44th for North, meaning he could play his 50th game in royal blue and white in Round 10.
A fourth-placed finish in the Syd Barker Medal saw Aaron Hall rewarded with a new contract at the end of last season, and he’s in line to play game 150 in Round 6 at home against the Bulldogs.
After spending much of his career at the Suns, Hall moved to Arden Street ahead of the 2019 season and established himself in the Kangaroo side in 2021, playing 20 games for the year.
Game 150 might not be the only milestone Luke McDonald has his eye on in 2022, as his father’s games tally is also within reach in 2022.
Donald McDonald played 155 games for North in the 1980s and '90s. If Luke can regain the form and fitness that saw him win the 2020 Syd Barker Medal he could reach game 150 in Darwin against the Suns in Round 13, before reaching game 156 in Round 20 against North's old enemy, Essendon.
100 games - Jy Simpkin (95), Jed Anderson (85), Hugh Greenwood (83)
There's no player who personified North's improvement over the course of the 2021 season quite like Jy Simpkin.
Elected to the post of co-vice-captain, Simpkin led the charge all season long and won his first Syd Barker Medal, aged just 23.
One of the most loved players at the club and one of the first names on the team list, the young midfielder should reach game 100 in Round 5's Good Friday clash with the Western Bulldogs.
North's midfield bull Jed Anderson can reach his 100 game milestone in Round 16 against Geelong should he play every game from Round 1. He has played the bulk of his football in royal blue and white since crossing from Hawthorn ahead of the 2016 season.
As the club's newest recruit, former basketball hopeful Hugh Greenwood could bring up 100 games of AFL football against Richmond in Round 18.
50 games - Tarryn Thomas (47), Ben McKay (37), Bailey Scott (34), Curtis Taylor (30), Jack Mahony (29)
Heading into his fourth season with the club, Tarryn Thomas looks locked in to play his 50th game of AFL football early in the season.
An injury hit 2020 restricted him to just six games for the year, but more midfield time in 2021 saw him pull together a strong campaign in David Noble's first season as senior coach.
Ben McKay had to bide his time to make his impact at senior level after his debut in 2017.
He's established himself as one of the most important players in the club's 22 over the last season and a half, and reaching the 50 game milestone will be a just reward for the hard work and effort he's put in.
Bailey Scott could become the second father/son player on North's current list to reach the 50 games. He'll need to match his 16 games played in 2021 to reach it.
After showing bucketloads of promise in the early stages of his career, Curtis Taylor played 18 games in the 2021 season and was a regular presence in the side in the second half of the season.
No North player experienced a breakout season like Jack Mahony in 2021. The pressure forward was often one of the first names on the team sheet and was praised by coaches, fans and teammates alike for his selflessness on the field, and the 50 game milestone is within his grasp should he maintain his fitness and form over the season.
1 game - Jason Horne-Francis, Josh Goater, Miller Bergman, Paul Curtis, Jackson Archer, Jacob Edwards, Patrick Walker, Matt McGuinness
While the club's new crop of draftees are all pushing hard to fulfil their childhood dream of playing in the AFL, there are three other players angling for a debut who are not in their first years at the club.
Despite being selected first in the mid-season draft last season, Jacob Edwards has come into pre-season almost as a new player.
School commitments restricted his training time with the club last season, and the ruck/forward will be keen to show why he was such a highly touted prospect in the mid-season draft.
Pat Walker was close to a debut in 2021 before his season was cut short by an ankle injury.
Named as an emergency for the senior side, the rookie draft selection is a half-back/wing option with a solid kick and a big engine. He'll look to build on his promising debut campaign to earn a place in the senior side this season.
A versatile tall option, Matt McGuinness was showing promise as a forward in the VFL before an ankle injury curtailed his 2021.
Drafted as a key defender, McGuinness is also capable of playing on the wing or even in the ruck, and that versatility could be key in him earning an opportunity at senior level.
