Wayne Carey says he was humbled by being selected as North Melbourne’s greatest player on Saturday night.

The 48-year-old was revealed as No.1 in a top 10 countdown at a special event to commemorate 150 years.

“These things are subjective but talk about a humbling experience,” Carey said.

“I don’t often get nervous any more, but to sit here and watch everyone else (in the top 10) come up, you just go, ‘Wow’.

“It is very humbling to be standing here and I mean that from the heart.”

Carey received a standing ovation at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, and paid tribute to his coach, Denis Pagan.

“If it wasn’t for the leadership of Denis Pagan, I honestly don’t believe we would have done anything,” he said.

“Denis drove you. We wouldn’t have been the team we were and I wouldn’t have been the player I was without him.”