Brent Harvey has announced his retirement from AFL football at North's best and fairest count.
10:10pm Oct 7, 2016
Brent Harvey's walked from the Adelaide Oval as the Kangaroos' best player since Wayne Carey.
1:04pm Sep 11, 2016
1:24pm Sep 6, 2018
4:00pm Jul 25, 2018
4:04pm May 16, 2018
2:17pm May 15, 2018
6:22pm Jul 4, 2017
4:02pm Jun 9, 2017
Junior club: Preston RSL
Recruited from: Northern U18
Draft: #47, 1995 National
Debut: Round 22, 1996 v Richmond
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Harvey was part of the Northern Knights’ premiership side in his draft year of 1995. It was a side which saw no less than 11 players go on to AFL clubs.
The diminutive teenager, standing at only 167cm, also represented Vic Metro at the Under 18 National Championships. Even before being drafted, Harvey already had a reputation as an ultra-competitive player who was able to run out games strongly.
Harvey was adjudged best on ground in the Knights’ Grand Final victory, receiving the TAC Medal for his efforts. North Melbourne would go on to draft him with pick 47 in the 1995 National Draft.
Mid-season, from Shane Watson
"He spent the first quarter of the season down back and the last month he's gone forward – he's just a good player. When the game's on the line, he puts himself in the play and he's smart.
"He was quite good down back; it gave opposition teams something to worry about if he was playing on someone or if he was a spare back there.
"At his age, he still gets the best small defender in attack and his level of performance week to week is to a high standard."
Second half of 2015, from Shane Watson
“His level of performance doesn’t change at all. He’s still got his speed, he’s still consistent and kicks his goals.
“You don’t know when he’s going to stop really. If he keeps playing like he has this year, who knows. You take it for granted because it’s hard to comprehend. 20 years into his career, he’s still churning out these numbers.
It was hard to guess Brent Harvey was in his 20th AFL season in 2014, such was his level of performance.
Coming out of the gates strongly, he was crucial in back-to-back wins over the Bulldogs and Port Adelaide in Round 2 and 3, and was perhaps a little unlucky not to receive Brownlow votes for the latter game.
His rematch with Ryan Crowley in Round 6 received national attention, and it was Harvey who came out the winner with 29 disposals in North’s 13-point victory. It was the first time the side had beaten a Ross Lyon coached team under Brad Scott.
A season-high 39 disposals in Round 10 followed shortly after, while 25 disposals and 3 goals against Richmond in Round 12 earned Harvey a further three Brownlow Medal votes.
A three-week suspension for rough conduct against the Western Bulldogs’ Liam Picken threatened to end his season prematurely, but the veteran was able to return for the semi-final victory against Geelong.
There was one more Tribunal case for Harvey to attend before the preliminary final, as he was cleared of an incident with Joel Selwood, freeing him to face Sydney.
With all things going to plan, Harvey should reach the 400 game milestone in 2015, and could also move into the top three for most goals kicked at North Melbourne.
Mid-season, from Brett Allison
“His ball use and run and carry is always of the highest quality. The main area of his game to keep thinking about is his defensive side.
“He’s really working his way through taggers well this season. I don’t see that as a problem for Harvey since he’s been back playing.
“It’s about his intent and going in to win the ball. When that’s going well he’s the complete player for us.”
End of season review
Fresh right through until the end of the year, Harvey had back-to-back games of 35 and 37 possessions against Melbourne and Geelong respectively.
If he continues his form in 2014, there is every chance he’ll end the year inside the top five for total games played in the AFL.
In the pre-season Harvey stepped down from the captaincy he'd held since 2009, giving the honour to Andrew Swallow.
Without the captaincy, Harvey seemed refreshed, evidenced by his incredible 38-possession game against Geelong in Round 3. He had the most accurate season of his 17 year career, kicking 35.9.
Harvey re-signed for 2013, but will suffer a delayed start to the year after being suspended for six games after two separate incidents in the Elimination Final.
Spending slightly more time forward than in previous years, Harvey saw his name on the scoreboard more often with his 56 scoring shots the most since 2000.
He still took 60 running bounces which was fourth in the AFL and an incredible 47 more than the next best at North.
Harvey finished equal second at the club for disposals, third for goals and equal third for goal assists.
After missing seven games due to injury in 2009, Harvey was back to his best while playing every game in 2010. Following the Round 2 loss to St Kilda, Harvey was in the media spotlight due to a quiet game. He responded with a career high 44 possessions the following week, running West Coast ragged at Etihad Stadium.
The introduction of Brad Scott as senior coach gave Harvey a new lease of life. 63 tackles for the year was a career high, including a game high of nine in the Round 5 win over Hawthorn at Aurora Stadium.
- Disposals: 1
- Disposals: 21
- Clearances: 6
- Inside 50's: 5
- Goals: 1
- Disposals: 32
- Marks: 6
- Rebound 50's: 6
- Clearances: 4
- Disposals: 21
- Goals: 3
- Inside 50's: 3
- Time on Ground: 91%
- Disposals: 31
- Inside 50's: 5
- Bounces: 7
- Time on Ground: 90%
- Disposals: 15
- Goals: 2
- Inside 50's: 5
- Time on Ground: 79%
- Disposals: 26
- Inside 50's: 5
- Bounces: 6
- Time on Ground: 88%
- Disposals: 23
- Goals: 4
- Inside 50's: 7
- Time on Ground: 86%
- Disposals: 27
- Goals: 2
- Brownlow votes: 2
- Time on Ground: 89%
Round 22, 1996 v Richmond
Venue: MCG
North Melbourne: 6.5.41, 8.10.58, 12.13.85, 21.15.141
Richmond: 3.2.20, 7.9.51, 12.11.83, 16.13.109
Round 9, 1999 v Fremantle
Venue: Patersons Stadium
North Melbourne: 4.0.24, 8.4.52, 12.8.80, 17.14.116
Fremantle: 0.4.4, 4.6.30, 8.12.60, 12.14.86
Round 13, 2001 v Port Adelaide
Venue: Manuka Oval
North Melbourne: 3.3.21, 7.5.47, 12.6.78, 14.11.95
Port Adelaide: 2.3.15, 4.5.29, 5.7.37, 10.13.73
Round 22, 2003 v Carlton
Venue: Etihad Stadium
North Melbourne: 5.5.35, 12.8.80, 22.11.143, 28.19.187
Carlton: 1.4.10, 2.6.18, 4.8.32, 9.9.63
Round 6, 2006 v Hawthorn
Venue: Etihad Stadium
North Melbourne: 1.2.8, 6.6.42, 11.10.76, 15.12.102
Hawthorn: 4.4.28, 7.8.50, 10.11.71, 11.14.80
Round 9, 2008 v Western Bulldogs
Venue: Etihad Stadium
North Melbourne: 5.3.33, 7.7.49, 12.11.84, 16.17.113
Western Bulldogs: 5.3.33, 11.7.73, 14.10.94, 16.14.110
Round 21, 2010 v West Coast
Venue: Patersons Stadium
North Melbourne: 1.4.10, 6.10.46, 10.13.73, 16.14.110
West Coast: 4.4.28, 7.6.48, 10.10.70, 14.10.94
Round 10, 2013 v St Kilda
Venue: Etihad Stadium
North Melbourne: 9.7.61, 13.10.88, 17.14.116, 19.19.133
St Kilda: 1.0.6, 4.3.27, 9.3.57, 10.5.65
Round 17, 2015 v Brisbane
Venue: Gabba
North Melbourne: 5.5.35, 7.7.49, 9.11.65, 16.14.110
Brisbane: 1.1.7, 4.4.28, 4.5.29, 5.8.38
