Click here to watch the press conference on YouTube

It’s a tough transition but Brent Harvey says a brief chat with Ricky Ponting will help him form a new style of leadership without the captaincy tag at North Melbourne.

“I spoke to him briefly about the transition and just being that little bit more of a mentor rather than the leader of the football club,” Harvey said on Friday at Aegis Park.

Harvey and other leaders including Daniel Wells, Michael Firrito, Scott Thompson, Jamie Macmillan, Drew Petrie and Jack Ziebell gathered for a morning meeting with Ponting and used the time to discuss the changing nature of leadership in sport.

“We caught up with Ricky this morning…that was fantastic, just an experience money can’t buy speaking to one of the all-time greats not only in Australian cricket, but world cricket. (He’s) Someone that the boys get pretty nervous about meeting, we know he’s a Kangaroos supporter and all the boys love him but it’s fantastic just to have that opportunity just to speak to him.”

Harvey stepped aside at the beginning of the year with Andrew Swallow taking over the captaincy and has a lot in common with Ponting, including their love for the Kangaroos.

“Speaking to Ricky, you get to sit back and take it all in now.”

“I’ll certainly guide Andrew (Swallow) and the young leadership group through and give them all the feedback they need and some help along the way but the leadership group is going to be a fantastic one I think.”

Ponting recently handed over the Australia Cricket captaincy to Michael Clarke and gave Harvey advice about staying focused on his own game as well as helping others.

“Now that we’re not the front if you like or the face of the team anymore, it gives us a bit more of an opportunity to sit back and look at things from a slightly different perspective,” Ponting said.

“The important thing with it as I said to him this morning is that just make sure you don’t neglect your own game. Make sure you’re putting in as much time as you need to get your game 100 per cent right and with the spare time you’ve got at the end of that, make sure spreading your time evenly around the younger blokes.”

Heading to the West Indies next week, Ponting says the extra time Harvey will have around the club can be invaluable.

“Now that we are probably more mentors than captains, never neglect what you’ve done as player, but because you haven’t got the extra responsibility as you had as captain, you’ve got a bit more time on your hands to spend with the younger guys…”

While admitting he has never met new captain Andrew Swallow, Ponting believes he is perfect for the role as leader from what he’s seen so far on the field.

“If you look at what he’s been able to do and the way he’s been able to play his footy over the last few years, he’s just looked like one of those guys that would step into a leadership role really well and lead from the front on the field. If he can have a year similar to last year himself, I’m sure a lot of the younger guys will toe the line as well and do the right thing by the footy club.”

And the cricket star also took the opportunity to talk up the club’s move to play two games in Tasmania - his home state.

“I believe it’s been positive already. Ticket sales I believe for the first game were pretty solid, membership were really solid early doors but I think it’s really important that the whole of the state really embraces what the Kangaroos can bring to Tasmania…

“It’s (Blundstone Arena) going to be a great venue to play footy, I’m sure everyone from the club’s been down there and had look around and check things out. I’m excited…I’ll make sure I’m down there for the West Coast game.”

While Ponting takes on the ‘Windies’ next week, North Melbourne will launch a partnership with the Ponting Foundation during the Round One match against Essendon.

“It’ll be the start of a three-year partnership which we’re really excited about. I think it’s great for our club to give back to Ricky, our number one ticket holder, and his foundation. He’s been a very loyal supporter and member for a long time now,” Harvey explained.

Auction items will be posted on the club’s website with all proceeds going to an amazing cause.

“We’re delighted that the football club has come on board and agreed to help us out with what we’re trying to achieve. Every fund and cent and dollar that’s raised from the game against Essendon next week will stay here in Victoria. We’ve got a relationship with the Murdoch Institute…and all the funds will go back into that to help out young families that are going through the battle of childhood cancer,” Ponting stated.

“On game-day the players have been generous enough to donate a lot of their match-worn gear which will go on auction during the game…

“We’re really excited not only about this week but some of the initiatives we’ll be able to create down the track with the North Melbourne Football Club and the Ponting Foundation such as a pretty big initiative we’ll be launching at the West Coast game when we’re down in Hobart later in the year.”

Click here to watch the press conference on YouTube

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