BRENT HARVEY
Harvey turns 37 in May but North's most damaging outside runner has not shown any signs of slowing down. When the Roos need a spark through the middle of the ground, more often than not it is Harvey who provides it. He loves to take the game on and has the speed and evasive tricks to break opposition lines, and the foot skills to slice through defensive zones. The record five-time Syd Barker medallist is also a dangerous crumber around goal and deceptively strong in one-on-one marking contests. The continued development of North's post-2008 draft crops means it is not as reliant on Harvey as it once was, but the veteran remains perhaps the Roos' biggest match-winner. Finished just two votes behind last year's best and fairest winner, Ben Cunnington, despite missing three games through suspension.
KEY 2014 STATS: 22 games. Ranked fourth in the AFL for running bounces, seventh for score involvements and 10th for uncontested possessions, and at North was equal second for goal assists and third for goals. Over the past three seasons, North has retained possession from 57 per cent of Harvey's kicks into its forward 50, the best percentage among the top 100 players for inside 50 kicks.
TODD GOLDSTEIN
Goldstein has almost singlehandedly carried North's ruck duties for the past four seasons when he has emerged as one of the AFL's best ruckmen. Blessed with remarkable endurance for a big man, Goldstein averaged 90.6 per cent game time in 2014, nearly all of which was spent in the ruck. Goldstein has also been extremely durable, missing just five games over the past five seasons. North will be praying the former Oakleigh Charger's good run of health continues in 2015 because no player is more important to the Roos' team balance. With Goldstein shouldering their ruck duties, the Roos can play three talls in attack, knowing the likes of Drew Petrie and Ben Brown will only be required for occasional stints in the ruck. The 26-year-old has finished in the top three in North's past two best and fairest awards and was best on ground in the Roos' 2014 semi-final win over Geelong.
KEY 2014 STATS: 24 games. Ranked second in the AFL for hit-outs and at North was second for tackles, fourth for contested marks and centre clearances, and fifth for clearances. Over the past three seasons, Goldstein has competed in more ruck contests than any other AFL player (5133), 4788 more than the next best Roo.