By Russell Bennett
GEMBROOK favourite son Michael ‘Spud’ Firrito’s North Melbourne career will draw to a close at the end of the 2016 AFL season, with the Kangaroos confirming he is one of four high-profile veterans not to be offered a contract at Arden Street moving forward.
A statement on the club’s website confirmed that Firrito, along with Drew Petrie, former St Kilda star Nick Dal Santo, and AFL games record holder Brent Harvey would play their last games in the blue and white stripes this season.
“The club is indebted to these four individuals for their professionalism, leadership, attitude and competitiveness,” the statement read.
“Firrito is a fierce competitor who never takes a backward step. Stoic in defence, he has been a galvanising force that held the club together in the toughest of times.
“Often given roles on much larger opponents down back, ‘Spud’ has been a standout since being elevated off the club’s Rookie List in 2003 and is considered the ultimate club-man due to his unparalleled courage and bravery”.
In a sign of his standing at the club, Firrito, who has so far played 20 games this season – bringing his career total to 273 – inherited Glenn Archer’s famous 11 jumper when the ‘Shinboner of the Century’ retired.
Firrito captained the Eastern Ranges TAC Cup side in 2001 and won its best and fairest that season. He was overlooked by every AFL club come draft time, but earned his way into the top fight off winning the Fothergill/Round Medal as the VFL’s most promising player with Box Hill in 2002.
Now 32, Firrito’s career came to a crossroads in 2013 but he since re-established himself as a real general of the Kangaroos’ backline.
After becoming just the 10th person in the storied history of the North Melbourne Football Club to play 250 VFL/AFL games, the former Brookers junior admitted that retirement had started to cross his mind in recent years.
“I had some issues with my body and retirement was one of the things that entered my mind, but since then it’s been the most exciting and enjoyable part of my career,” he said in the build-up to his 250th last year.
Kangaroos fans still have time to send Firrito off in style, with the club still to play in this year’s finals series.
But given the importance of the games to come this year, the timing of the North Melbourne decision is somewhat bizarre.
