Two years ago Michael Firrito’s football future flashed before his eyes.

It happened in the weeks after North Melbourne’s 2013 season had finished on the first day of spring with an encouraging win over finals-bound Collingwood.

Firrito remained out of contract as the Roos embarked on their post-season exit interviews and he soon realised his chances of winning a new contract were lineball.

At the time, the defender was three months shy of his 30th birthday and was coming off an uncharacteristically poor season.

Niggling knee and quadriceps injuries had eventually taken such a toll on Firrito’s form and confidence that after North’s disappointing round 16 loss to the Brisbane Lions – after leading by 32 points early in the second half – he told coach Brad Scott he needed a spell in the VFL.

On the eve of his 250th AFL game this Saturday, Firrito told the AFL Record he had been a long way off his best for several weeks leading up to the Lions loss, but had told himself he could work his way back into form.

“But after the Brisbane game we lost up there, I went and saw Brad on the Monday morning and said, ‘I’m not up to it at the moment, I need a spell’,” Firrito said.

“It was a really tough time because physically I just needed some time away, and mentally I think the game almost got the better of me a bit as well.”

Firrito spent five weeks out of the Roos team and, in between playing three games in the VFL with Werribee, he took two weeks off football to freshen up.

He was recalled for North’s final two games when key defenders Scott Thompson and Nathan Grima were sidelined with injury, and performed solidly.

But Firrito still had to wait another three weeks before a new one-year deal was formalised.

In Firrito’s view, he eventually took the last spot on North’s 2014 senior list.

“It was a tough time and my footy career certainly did flash before my eyes,” he said.

“Mentally and physically I wasn’t ready to retire, but what I was producing for the team suggested to the football world that I was done.

“It was a pretty hard one because deep within I thought I still had plenty to give if I got myself right.

“Sometimes it’s hard to convince people that that’s the case, but the club showed faith in me and I’d like to think I’ve repaid them and am still repaying them for that faith.”

It’s a safe bet Firrito has more than met the Roos’ expectations since re-signing for 2014.

It took him until round four last year to break back into the senior team, but he then played 20 games, including all three of North’s finals.

This season, he has missed just one game, through suspension in round 19.

In the past two seasons, Firrito, who joined the club as a mature-age recruit from Box Hill in the 2003 Rookie Draft, has climbed to No. 5 on the games played list for players who started their careers as rookies.

Retired West Coast champion Dean Cox heads that list on 290 games, followed by ex-Saint Stephen Milne (275), former Melbourne captain James McDonald (264) and Western Bulldog Matthew Boyd (256).

But when Firrito ponders what might have been at the end of 2013, it’s not his subsequent achievements that he’s most grateful for.

Being part of the 2014 finals campaign, which included thrilling wins over Essendon in the elimination final and Geelong in the semi-final, is what he will cherish most.

Firrito had tasted finals success only once in six previous attempts with the Roos, so he understandably savoured every moment of last September’s two triumphs.

“To have my footy life flash before my eyes and then to work my way back on to the list, into our best team and into a finals series was pretty exciting,” he said.

“Last year’s finals series has probably been the highlight of my career so far. Obviously, the preliminary final loss against Sydney was not a great result, but to be a part of the wins against Essendon and Geelong was awesome.

“Just to get the North Melbourne footy club back on the big stage in front of a big crowd was pretty special.”

Firrito’s greatest strength as a player has been his versatility.

He made his debut as a key defender in round 12, 2003, against Essendon, after being elevated from the rookie list to replace Leigh Colbert, who had suffered a serious pancreas injury in a collision with teammate David King a week earlier.

Firrito played just two games that year and, when he forced his way into North’s round one team the following season, he played as a run-with midfielder, a role he performed for much of the next two years.

Then coach Dean Laidley was looking to inject bigger bodies into his midfield in 2009, so he turned to Firrito, among others, giving the Eastern Ranges product the licence to play as a ball-winning on-baller.

But it’s been in defence where Firrito has made his name. Even there, though, he has played a variety of roles, manning bigs, smalls and everything in between.

He readily admits his toughest year was 2007, when he and former teammate Josh Gibson handled the Roos’ key defensive duties.

They were both listed as 190cm in that season’s AFL Record Season Guide, but have both ‘shrunk’ to 189cm in this year’s guide.

“‘Gibbo’ and I are both probably 188-189cm and I don’t think we’ve ever been officially measured, but somehow we’d always find ourselves in the Record as 190cm,” Firrito said.

But cribbing a centimetre or two on official records was never going to help Firrito, listed in 2007 as 96kg, against power forwards such as Jonathan Brown (195cm and 102kg), Warren Tredrea (194cm and 98kg) and Fraser Gehrig (195cm and 106kg).

Firrito nominates former Lions skipper Brown as his toughest opponent.

“He was quite agile, he could run all game, he was strong and a good mark. I just couldn’t really figure out where I could expose him,” he says.

But as tough as 2007 was personally, it was also one of Firrito’s most enjoyable seasons, with the Roos bouncing back from a 14th-place finish in 2006 to reach the preliminary final.

The 31-year-old is hoping he can be part of more finals success this year, but is not looking any further ahead than that.

Out of contract again at the end of the year, Firrito feels capable of paying on in 2016, but is comfortable his future won’t be decided until the Roos’ season has finished.

And if the curtain were to come down on his career, he would have no regrets.

“Originally when I wasn’t drafted – I went out to the Box Hill Hawks and just wanted an opportunity. I worked really hard and was able to play good footy,” he said.

“I would have given my right arm for an opportunity on an AFL list and thankfully North Melbourne gave me a chance and it’s been a tough, hard journey, but I’ve loved every minute of it.

“I’m lucky to get to do what I love every single day; it doesn’t feel like a job.

“I’m pretty proud to get to the 250-game milestone. I’m sure it’s something I’ll look back on more after I finish my career and be grateful that I was able to have longevity in the game.”