SHAUN Higgins can't see a free agent announcing he's on the move before the end of a season for some time, saying he doesn't think a player gains anything by making his intentions public.
Higgins has been one of free agency's biggest success stories after crossing to North Melbourne from the Western Bulldogs at the end of 2014.
This year's most enticing remaining free agents are Gold Coast co-captain Tom Lynch and West Coast midfielder Andrew Gaff.
Lynch is widely expected to leave Metricon Stadium, with Richmond, Collingwood and Hawthorn in a three-club race for his services.
Some reports have said Gold Coast will press Lynch, who will miss the remainder of the season with injury, for an answer on his future when he returns soon from visiting his family on the Mornington Peninsula.
Some commentators have also argued the AFL should follow the NRL's example, where players routinely announce mid-season that they have signed to play for another club the following year.
Higgins told reporters on Tuesday he could not see AFL players embracing such a cultural change anytime soon.
"At the moment I just don't see what's gained by coming out (and announcing you're moving)," Higgins said.
"And everyone is in a slightly different situation, aren't they? Some guys genuinely don't know 100 per cent their decision before the end of the year. Some guys probably have two or three options and some guys clearly have made up their minds before it.
"It's a tough one. Potentially years down the track we will (change), but at the moment I can't see it happening."
Higgins will play his 200th game against West Coast at Blundstone Arena on Sunday, a milestone he said was "clearly a nice achievement".
But the 30-year-old said he would probably take more satisfaction from adding the 30 games he needs to reach 100 at North.
"To do it here at a club that's given me the second chance and provided so much for me on and off the field over the last four or five years will mean a lot," Higgins said.
Injury limited Higgins to 129 games in nine years at the Bulldogs, but his luck has changed since he arrived at Arden St.
Aside from a knee injury in 2016, he has finally enjoyed a consistent run of health, which has enabled him to play the best football of his career.
Third in North's best and fairest award in his first season at the club, 2015, he won the Syd Barker Medal last year and is a strong chance to repeat that effort in 2018.
Fourth in the AFLCA player of the year award voting and one of the Brownlow Medal favourites, Higgins is averaging a career-high 27.8 possessions and 5.5 clearances a game this year.
"I think it's probably (the) most consistent (form of my career)," Higgins said.
"Having a good run at it of late definitely helps that, and also the team – for the majority of the year – playing well (and having) good players around me makes it easier as well."
But Higgins' main focus is on helping the Roos climb out of a form slump in which they have dropped three of their past four games and suffered their biggest loss of the year last Saturday, a 66-point hiding from Collingwood.
After sitting inside the top eight at the end of round 14, North is now 10th, a game and 11 percentage points behind eighth-placed Hawthorn.
Higgins is confident the Roos can rediscover their best form in time for Sunday's crucial clash against the Eagles.
"All facets of our game were down on the weekend (against Collingwood) and we know that's not us. We look forward down in Tassie to turning the tables," he said.
"We're really clear on what we've done and what we need to do to rectify that. It's a good challenge for us and it's still an exciting time of the year, with what lies ahead for us."
