Two-time best and fairest winner Brady Rawlings has re-signed with North Melbourne in a new one-year deal.
Rawlings will finish his career at North on a series of one-year contracts, wanting re-assurances that he is in the best 22 at Arden St before penning terms for another year.
"I didn't want to be in a position where they wanted to move on to play younger guys," Rawlings told afl.com.au.
"I think it's probably the right move from the club's perspective and from mine that from now on is a year-by-year scenario. I'm more than comfortable with that. I'd hate for the club to be in a position where they felt like they had to play me because I'd been around for a certain amount of time."
Rawlings has played every game this season under new coach Brad Scott and averages 26 disposals a match in a new role as a rebounding half-back, something the Tasmanian says he has enjoyed.
"It's been enjoyable this year. Going into the season with a new coach and a new game plan, I suppose there was a bit of uncertainty (of) how we were going to go."
"To be able to play down back and get a few of us playing together for a bit now, we're starting to adapt to it a lot better each week," he said.
Life after football is something on Rawlings' agenda already with the defender currently undertaking the AFLCA future coaches course. He has spent time with national talent manager Kevin Sheehan and AIS-AFL high performance coach Jason McCartney and will do the same in 2011.
Rawlings will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of older brother Jade who was thrown into the deep end last season as caretaker coach of Richmond at just 31 years of age.
Recruiting is also another avenue Rawlings is exploring.
"Recruiting is what I'm most passionate about but I also feel I've got a bit to offer with development and that side of things," he said.
Rawlings will be among the 22 Kangaroos that will face Essendon in a must-win clash at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.