IF LEVI Greenwood starts the new season as strongly as he finished the last, then North Melbourne could have its replacement for veteran Brady Rawlings.
Though Rawlings remains one of the competition's most effective taggers, he has resumed training as a small defender - a role that earned him third place in the club's best and fairest count this year.
It was Rawlings' shift to the backline that opened the midfield door for Greenwood, who for six successive games ran with Lion Daniel Rich, Carlton captain Chris Judd, Melbourne's Cameron Bruce, West Coast's Matt Priddis, St Kilda's Nick Dal Santo and Port Adelaide's Shaun Burgoyne, and was only beaten by Priddis.
Dal Santo, a then-favourite for the Brownlow Medal, was held to just nine possessions by Greenwood as the Roos beat the Saints by five points.
That particular effort marked a turnaround for the 20-year-old, who earlier in the year had made his debut against Richmond but struggled as a backman and was picked for just three games in 10 weeks.
Persevering with Werribee in the VFL, Greenwood even played at that level the day before he was included for North's round 15 clash with Hawthorn in Launceston.
By then, Darren Crocker was coaching the side and Greenwood settled in.
"Once I started playing this new role - a more tagging, run-with role - I found my feet in the team and was a bit more comfortable," he said.
"My job is to beat the man and if he ends up having less than 15 touches by the end of the game, I've played my role for the team and have hopefully helped towards a win.
"It feels alright when you beat a good player in the AFL but you've always got to look forward to the next week coming up."
As senior assistant coach to Brad Scott, Crocker has taken charge of the midfield for 2010 and has ensured a tough training block for his players.
"Everyone's going for spots," Greenwood said. "Hopefully with him seeing what I did last season, I can play this role again.
"If I can stay in there and do it this year and next year and slowly work myself into the midfield in the upcoming years, then that's good."
While Greenwood has Crocker's faith, clear direction has come from Rawlings.
Whether it's the intricacy of an opponent's weaknesses or general adjustment to the elite level, Greenwood said there was no one better to learn from.
"He's played on anyone who's anyone in the AFL," he said of Rawlings. "Like last year, every time I got belted or something I would go to him and he would tell me what to do. And he'd always come up to me and ask how [I was going].
"He's a great resource and it will be pretty sad when he [eventually] goes because then I'll have to learn for myself a bit more. Not too many blokes know as much as he does around the club."
For the first time since his arrival via pick No.32 in the 2007 NAB AFL Draft, Greenwood has been able to complete most of North's summer program.
He said light Wednesday sessions had helped him steer away from the osteitis pubis that had troubled him in previous years, and resurfaced midway through 2008 as he pushed for senior selection.
"[Before this year] I just had to rest it for a few weeks after the end of the season and the start of pre-season," Greenwood said.
"That's all under control. It's just management now."
