With the appointment of Leigh Adams as interim coach of North Melbourne’s AFL side, a former player will be taking charge of the Kangaroos’ senior side for the first time since Darren Crocker’s caretaker spell in 2016.

Drafted to the club with the third selection of the 2007 rookie draft, Adams played 104 games for the club before concussion and injury forced him into an early retirement. Since then he’s been earning his coaching stripes at both local and VFL level.

Primarily utilised as a gritty and combative inside midfielder during his playing days, Adams knows what it takes to represent this club with pride, and he says he’s keen to implement some of those learning into the playing group over the coming weeks.

“North Melbourne people want to see effort in the contest and pressure around the footy … I think being brought up at Arden Street [that’s] all you can do for your fans,” Adams told North Media.

“That’s what we’ll hopefully see. Our boys giving effort in 100 per cent of the game … and kicking goals off the back of really good pressure and contest.

“Will we see periods where that doesn’t happen? Yeah, we will, because our list is young and we’re going to try and get some games into some kids in the back half of the year.

“I’m hoping there’s going to be some long periods of the game where you can see a North Melbourne brand that our supporters can be really proud of in the last six weeks.”

If Adams’ appointment to the role of senior coach represents anything among the playing group, it’s a testament to the longevity of Todd Goldstein’s playing career.

Goldstein was selected with the 37th pick in the 2006 national draft. Although Adams was later taken in the rookie draft, the pair were part of the same class of 18-year-old AFL hopefuls.

The veteran ruck isn't the only remaining player from Adams' playing days, but the new coach says he’s not phased by the prospect of coaching his former teammates.

“It’s going to be very interesting, me and ‘Goldy’. I’ve been retired for seven years and he’s still going so it’s amazing how it ended up like that,” Adams said.

“I think I played with four or five of the boys who are still here. Jack Ziebell, ‘Cunners’ (Ben Cunnington) who obviously won’t be out there, Kayne Turner, Luke McDonald. It’s going to be interesting coaching them.

“I’ve had a little bit of experience coaching boys that are older than me before at suburban and VFL level and I’ve been here long enough to coach them throughout the week. It’ll just be a little bit different on gameday."