North Melbourne fans have a bright future to look forward to, if the announcement of the inaugural AFL Players’ Association 22under22 squad is anything to go by.

Four Kangaroos – Jack Ziebell, Aaron Black, Aaron Mullett and Ben Cunnington were named among the best 40 youngsters around the league on Tuesday, with a final 22 to be named in a fortnight.

To qualify, a player must have been 22 or under for the entire 2013 AFL season.

In a sign of the quality of the club’s youth, North has the most players of any side in the initial 40, barring expansion team the Gold Coast Suns.

At 22, Ziebell is one of the club’s developing leaders, promoted to the role of co vice-captain at the start of the 2012 season.

He’s averaged 20 possessions a game during 2013, while his partner-in-crime in the midfield Ben Cunnington has been just as impressive.

North’s number 10 is fourth in the league for clearances, and averages 5 tackles a game to go with 21 possessions.

Mullett was awarded a NAB Rising Star nomination in Round 2 and has been a permanent fixture in the back-half this year, with close to 19 disposals a game and an ability to sneak forward and kick goals.

As a key-forward with his share of injury problems, Aaron Black has understandably taken a little while to lock down his spot in the North Melbourne side since being drafted in 2009, but with 16 games and 29 goals to his name in 2013 is an exciting prospect.

To vote for North's four nominees to make the final team, LIKE the AFL Players Facebook page, or follow @AFLPlayers on Twitter.

The 22under22 team will be announced at the Be The Influence AFL Players' MVP awards on September 10.

The squad

Defenders
Rory Thompson - Gold Coast
Daniel Talia - Adelaide
Jake Carlisle - Essendon
Steele Sidebottom - Collingwood
Paul Seedsman - Collingwood
Jordan Roughead - Western Bulldogs
Trent McKenzie - Gold Coast
Aaron Mullett - North Melbourne
Dylan Roberton - St Kilda
Mitch Golby - Brisbane
Clancee Pearce - Fremantle
Brandon Ellis - Richmond

Forwards
Allen Christensen - Geelong
Jack Darling - West Coast
Dustin Martin - Richmond
Steven Motlop - Geelong
Luke Breust - Hawthorn
Jeremy Cameron - Greater Western Sydney
Jack Gunston - Hawthorn
Aaron Black - North Melbourne
Michael Walters - Fremantle
Jamie Elliott - Collingwood
Luke Dahlhaus - Western Bulldogs
Chad Wingard - Port Adelaide

Midfielders
Dan Hannebery - Sydney
Jaeger O’Meara - Gold Coast
Nathan Fyfe - Fremantle
Luke Parker - Sydney
Ollie Wines - Port Adelaide
Dion Prestia - Gold Coast
Ben Cunnington - North Melbourne
Tom Liberatore - Western Bulldogs
Jack Ziebell - North Melbourne
Jack Redden - Brisbane
Adam Treloar - Greater Western Sydney
Mitch Duncan - Geelong
Tom Mitchell - Sydney
Dyson Heppell - Essendon

Ruck
Mark Blicavs - Geelong
Tom Nicholls - Gold Coast