Unfinished finals business will be driving North Melbourne defender Michael Firrito when he embarks on his 14th AFL season next year.

Firrito has re-signed with the Roos for 2016 after a strong season in defence in which he missed just two games, one through suspension in round 19 and another when he was one of nine players rested a week before the finals.

The defender's career nearly came to an end after an indifferent 2013 season, but he has re-established himself as a key member of North's backline over the past two seasons.

Nonetheless, Firrito, who turns 32 late next month, again had to wait until after the season to find out whether he remained part of North's plans for 2016.

Firrito told AFL.com.au on Thursday it had been a nervous wait, but he's now looking forward to helping North improve on its preliminary finals appearances over the past two seasons.

"I'm rapt. It was a long process, but obviously I've had a couple of issues with my body, so there's always a question mark to see how the body's going to hold up," Firrito said.

"But the body was holding up well and over the last three years I've become quite experienced at not signing until after the season.

"Brad Scott's been really good. We've always kept an open line of communication so I was really comfortable with where it was all at, but it's still a nervous sort of wait when you're passionate about what you do and what you love and it's in the hands of someone else."

Firrito said North's 25-point loss to West Coast in this year's second preliminary final at Domain Stadium would motivate the Roos next year as they aimed to make their first Grand Final since 1999.

The Roos jumped the Eagles at the start of the game to lead by 20 points at quarter-time and were not headed until the 11-minute mark of the third term.

It was a marked improvement on their preliminary final performance against the Swans a year earlier, when they were overwhelmed by 71 points.

Firrito said the Roos felt they had missed an opportunity against the Eagles and were determined to give themselves another chance to make the Grand Final in 2016.

"It felt like it was the one that got away a little bit for us, so I guess there's a bit of fire in the belly of everyone and it was one of the major factors of me playing on," Firrito said.

"We got the carrot dangled in front of us and hopefully we can give ourselves another opportunity next year.

"I think the feeling among the group is that we're a mature sort of group, we've got the cattle to do it and I think we're pretty potent.

"But certainly Hawthorn is the benchmark and we're under no illusions we need to improve again to go a little bit further.

"I guess it would be a nice way to go out winning a flag – there would be no better way – but we'll just see what happens."