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BRENT Harvey has declared his desire to captain North Melbourne but doesn’t consider himself a certainty to get the job.

Adam Simpson stood down last week, leaving Harvey – who won his fourth Syd Barker Medal this year – and fellow leadership group members Drew Petrie and Brady Rawlings as favourites to replace him.

Harvey, 30 and with 264 games to his credit, captained Australia in last month’s International Rules series and believes he has the qualities and experience to take the club mantle.

"I’d love the job," he said "I’m not saying I’m going to get it because there are some people there that could quite easily do it.

"But if I got chosen to do it, I would certainly put my hand up and do the best job I could.

"I've been in the leadership group for seven or eight years now ... and last year I got the opportunity to lead the guys when Simmo (Adam Simpson) was out with injury. I think I'm accustomed to it, I know what I'd have to do."

Harvey revealed that Simpson told the leadership group of his decision a week before he announced it, and added that his departing skipper was the best one he's had.

"I've played under Wayne Carey and Anthony Stevens as well. In terms of leadership, Simmo's been fantastic to me," he said.

"I wanted him to go on because I think he's the best leader at the footy club, but a door closes and another one opens now for whoever gets the job."

Asked whether he felt it had been narrowed down to him or 26-year-old Petrie, who ran second in this year's best and fairest, Harvey was quick to include midfielder Rawlings.

"I think Brady Rawlings could quite easily do it," he said.

"[There are] probably a couple of other young guys who could easily do it in the future – whether they're ready at the minute – but certainly Brady could lead the football club easily."

And Harvey doesn't believe his age will work against him, entering his 14th season but fresh from the best campaign of his career.

"I'm only 24," he joked. "If something's going to go against me, maybe [it's] that, but I think they'll pick the best person for the job.

"Scott Burns got it for one year at Collingwood last year.

"If I get it it'll be a huge honour but, if I don't, I'll back the next captain."