Top 5 greatest players in North Melbourne Kangaroos history

Modified Jun 17, 2024 03:31 IST

North Melbourne Kangaroo VFL- Gary Dempsey in action

Celebrating their 150th year in 2019, the North Melbourne Kangaroos announced their top 10. Judging by statistics, loyalty and consecutive wins, we list our five best North Melbourne players of all time.

The Kangaroos are a club that cannot be overlooked in the history of the league. Some great players are to be thanked for this.

The top five greatest North Melbourne players of all time are highlighted below. They are ranked based on performance, skill and stats.

Top 5 greatest players in North Melbourne Kangaroos history

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5. Brent Harvey (1996-2016)

432 games, 518 goals
North Melbourne Captain (2009–2011)
AFL premiership (1999)
Four-time All-Australian (2000, 2005, 2007, 2008)
North Melbourne Team of the Century
Two-time Lou Richards Medallist (2007, 2008)
Five-time Syd Barker Medallist (2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010)
Herald Sun Player of the Year (2008)
Jim Stynes Medallist (2003)
E. J. Whitten Medallist (1999)
Captain of Australia (2008)
AFL Hall Of Fame Inductee (2022)

Drafted by the North Melbourne Kangaroos in Round 3 of the 1995 AFL Draft, Harvey now holds the record for most matches played by an individual in VFL/AFL history, after breaking Michael Tuck’s in 2016.

4. Allen Aylett (1952-1964)

Allen Aylett began his career as an AFL player in 1952. He played 220 games and kicked 311 goals as a rover. He took a break from playing to serve as the President of the North Melbourne Kangaroos from 1971 to 1976, then chairman of the VFL from 1977 to 1984.

Aylett was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for all his impact on the game in 2000, and a Centenary Medal in 2001. He was appointed an Officer of the British Empire for the same in 1979. In 2006, after his final retirement from playing, Aylett was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame as an administrator.

3. David Dench (1969–1984)

A club staple during one of the North Melbourne Kangaroos' most successful eras, one of the club’s great loyalists, David Dench was recruited into the AFL in 1969.

Dench played full-back and in 1972, became one of the youngest captains appointed in North Melbourne history at the age of 21. His achievements include being North Melbourne premiership captain (1977), premiership player (1975), North Melbourne Team of the Century and the Syd Barker Medal (1971, 1976, 1977, 1981).

He played 279 games before abruptly retiring in 1984. He would return as an assistant coach under John Kennedy. In 2000, Dench was inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame.

2. Keith Greig (1971–1985)

294 games, 48 goals
North Melbourne captain (1976–1979)
VFL Premiership player (1975)
Two-time Brownlow Medallist (1973, 1974)
All-Australian team (1983)
Syd Barker Medallist (1980)
Australian Football Hall of Fame Inductee (1996)
AFL Team of the Century

Keith Greig’s impressive ball-handling skills would be talked of for a while yet. The league is yet to see one as graceful as himself. He was the perfect wingman but played in the half-back flanker towards the end of his career.

Greig was recruited by the North Melbourne Kangaroos at the age of 19 in 1971 and his brilliance was never missed throughout his career.

1.Wayne Carey (1989-2001)

244 games, 671 goals
North Melbourne Kangaroos Captain (1993–2001)
Two-time AFL Premiership player (1996, 1999)
Two Leigh Matthews Trophies (1995, 1998)
Seven All-Australian Team selections (1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000)
Four-time All-Australian Team Captain (1993, 1998–2000)
Four North Melbourne Best & Fairest Awards (1992, 1993, 1996, 1998)
Five North Melbourne Leading Goalkicker Awards (1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000)
Michael Tuck Medallist (1998)
AFL Hall of Fame
Team of the Century (Centre Half Forward)
North Melbourne Hall of Fame
Team of the Century Captain
Lou Richards Medallist (2000)

In 1987, North Melbourne Kangaroos CEO Greg Miller negotiated a transfer of John Longmire and eventually Carey, who were zoned to the Swans because they lived in New South Wales. Wayne Carey was brought to North Melbourne at the age of 16 and played in the under-19s until his AFL debut in 1989 at the age of 18.