BRENT Harvey will extend his stellar AFL career into a 19th season after agreeing to a new one-year contract with North Melbourne.
Harvey, 35, missed the first six rounds of this season through suspension, but has shown no signs of slowing down since returning in round seven.
In 14 consecutive games, Harvey has averaged 23.5 possessions and kicked 17 goals.
Perhaps the best sign of Harvey's continued importance to the Roos is the fact opposition teams almost always send their stingiest tagger to him or Daniel Wells.
North Melbourne announced Harvey's re-signing on its official club app on Friday morning.
As Harvey's excellent form has continued this season, North coach Brad Scott has consistently said he saw no reason why the veteran should not play on.
"I've always been pretty keen for him to play on but we wanted to wait until pretty late in the season to make an absolute decision on him, just with how he was feeling mentally and physically," the coach said on Friday.
"You can't argue with his form, it's been terrific. Mentally he's as driven as ever and as driven as any player I've seen and physically he's in great shape. So it makes it a pretty easy decision."
Scott was lavish in his praise of the former skipper, highlighting how difficult it is to play top-level football for more than a decade.
"I've often compared him to Dustin Fletcher, just in terms of longevity," he said.
"I can't fathom it myself because I know how hard this game is for players these days and it's harder than ever.
"For him at his age to still be playing at the level he is, is remarkable.
"Genetically he's very fortunate, he recovers from injuries really quickly and recovers from training loads really quickly. But to say it's just genetics is unfair, because he prepares himself like no-one I've ever seen."
Harvey has played 360 games and sits ninth on the AFL's all-time games list.
If he plays North's remaining two games this season and all of its home and away games next year, Harvey could climb to third on the AFL's games list with 384 games, behind Michael Tuck (426) and Kevin Bartlett (403).
Of course, Harvey's standing at the end of next year will depend on whether Essendon veteran Dustin Fletcher (equal fourth on the games list with 378 games) plays on next season.
Harvey's list of achievements is rivalled by few in the game.
The 167cm speedster has won a record five North best and fairest awards, finished joint runner-up in the 2007 Brownlow Medal, is a four-time All-Australian, E.J. Whitten medallist and Jim Stynes medallist.
Harvey was also a key member of North's 1999 premiership team and captained the Roos from 2009-11.
