Robbie Tarrant will leave North Melbourne as a modern-day icon of the club, says skipper and close friend Jack Ziebell.

Tarrant declined North Melbourne’s contract offer at the end of the 2021 season, and appears destined to join Richmond, according to media reports.

A former vice-captain and Syd Barker Medallist with 174 games under this belt, Tarrant leaves the Kangaroos as one of the North’s most decorated players of the past decade.

After an injury-riddled start to his career, a move to the backline saw Tarrant become one of the premier key defenders in the competition. It’s a strange anomaly that he never earned All-Australian selection in his time at the club.

Ziebell, who has shared the Arden Street change rooms with Tarrant for 12 years, paid tribute to the star defender following news of his imminent departure.

“He’s been a star for North Melbourne footy club, and I think he’ll be a Shinboner for life,” Ziebell told North Media.

“He’s given his absolute all to the club for 14 seasons, and his legacy will last quite some time.

“He’s brought a lot of young defenders up and he’s had a big impact on a lot of players’ careers by helping turn them into the players they are today.

“His impact here should not be understated. I know he loves this place and when all is said and done in a few years’ time I think he’ll definitely be a Shinboner.”

As player power in trade and free agency periods has increased in recent years, it’s becoming more common for players to change clubs in the latter part of their careers.

North has benefitted from player movement rules in recent years, with the likes of Shaun Higgins, Jarrad Waite and Aidan Corr, among others, rolling through the doors via free agency.

Ziebell says he understands Tarrant made his decision that was right for him and his family in regards to his playing future.

“It’s a tough situation, but I think that’s the football landscape in 2021. The players have so many more tools to facilitate movement,” he said.

“That doesn’t make it any easier to see one of your best mates leave the footy club.

“I know it wasn’t an easy decision to leave, but in the end I think he made the right call for him, his family and his situation, as much as we’d love to have him running around in royal blue and white next year.

“Footy in 2021 is very different to what it was in 1991 with the extra freedoms players have to move around.”