DESPITE still having the form and fitness to continue, North Melbourne veteran Adam Simpson said the timing was right for him to call an end to his 15-year career.

Simpson will play his 306th and final game this Friday night against Carlton, the club he supported as a boy.

The 33-year-old confirmed he had met with caretaker coach Darren Crocker and chief of football Donald McDonald last week, and they had agreed with his decision.

"When that happens – it doesn't happen very often, when both parties agree – it had a really good feel about it," Simpson said from Arden Street on Monday morning.

"There's going to be opportunities for kids going forward, and whether I play another three games or five games, it doesn't really matter.

"When you think like that, I suppose the timing's right."

Simpson will finish his career at No. 2 on North's games record list, equal with Wayne Schimmelbusch and behind Glenn Archer (311 games).

Recruited from the Northern Knights at No. 14 in the 1993 national draft, Simpson made his debut in 1995.

He played in North Melbourne’s 1996 and 1999 premiership sides and the losing 1998 grand final team, won the club best and fairest award in 2002, and took over the captaincy from Anthony Stevens in 2004 before handing it to Brent Harvey last year.

Simpson said he was proud of what he had achieved throughout his career, but conceded the challenges of the last decade were in contrast to North's dominance of the 1990s.

"You want to be remembered as being part of a successful era," he said.

"I've been lucky enough to be involved in that through the '90s.

"It's been a bit of a tough ride over the last eight or so years on and off the field, but I think we've developed, and I'm really proud of what I achieved as captain. To see the leaders we've got coming through now, I'm proud of [that] as well."

Simpson will provide a support role to Crocker and the other coaches in the remaining weeks of the season in the hope of appointment in 2010.

He said he was unsure whether it would or should be at North, another AFL club, VFL level or the under-18s.

"I just want to learn as much as I can off the field," he said.

"We haven't worked out exactly what I'm going to be doing, but I'd love to work with the kids and get into the development side of things. I'd also love the opportunity to sit in the box and just watch a game from up top.

"Out of the 300-odd games, I think I've only missed seven, so I haven't had a chance to really watch the game from in the box."

With his highlights and reflections considered in the lead-up to his 300-game milestone, Simpson said he had spent recent weeks pondering what the Roos had to look forward to.

He added that the achievements of chairman James Brayshaw and chief executive Eugene Arocca had been undervalued by those outside the club.

"I've been told a lot of things over the years that haven't been delivered, and in the last 18 months, 99 per cent of things that have been offered ... have been achieved," he said.

"No disrespect to the people here before us, but I can finally see the cog has clicked in our direction."