ANTHONY Stevens is set to become just the eighth legend inducted into North Melbourne's hall of fame, beating exalted Kangaroos such as Malcolm Blight, Barry Cable, Ross Glendinning and Wayne Carey into the exclusive club.
Stevens will be officially unveiled as a North legend at the club’s mid-season ball, A Celebration of Shinboner Spirit, on July 1, at the MCG.
He will join fellow legends Allen Aylett (elevated in 2007), David Dench (2009), John Dugdale (2003), Laurie Dwyer (2012), Les Foote (2011), Keith Greig (2009) and Wayne Schimmelbusch (2002).
Stevens told AFL.com.au it was "very humbling and a little bit embarrassing" to be named a North legend.
"To be amongst those guys who are what the North Melbourne Football Club is all about and helped the club become what it is today is a huge honour and I'm very, very excited by it," Stevens said.
"It's a little bit embarrassing to be honest that you've got such big names who have been inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame (Blight, Glendinning and Carey) and legend status in the Hall of Fame (Cable) and who haven't been given that legend honour at North Melbourne yet."
Stevens' modesty belies his decorated playing career at Arden Street, while his impending legend status also recognises the lasting legacy he left at the club on and off the field.
Over 292 games from 1989-2004, Stevens won two club best and fairest awards (1997, 1999), two premierships (1996, 1999), was an All Australian (1998) and named ruck rover in North's team of the century.
An inspirational leader who never shirked a contest and ran himself to the point of exhaustion every game, Stevens captained North from 2003-04.
Stevens returned to Arden Street in an official capacity this season, working in a combined marketing and football role, where his duties include mentoring the club's first to fourth-year players on the Roos' culture, values and history.
The former skipper has since been struck by the North players' determination to improve on their preliminary finals appearances of the past two seasons.
"The biggest thing I've noticed is we've got some great leaders here and that's what we had in the 1990s, people who led from the front. They've also got a steely resolve about them that if they get their role and their intensity in the game right then they can beat any side," Stevens said.
"If they get away from that, there's always the possibility that they can get beaten, but it's a great environment at the moment, a very positive environment.
"The boys have got a quiet confidence. The outside world probably thinks we lack superstars but we've got a very even spread of players who are playing their role and playing it well and that is why we're sitting 10-2 at the moment.
"Hopefully that form can continue on and we do get into the finals and from there you never know where we can end up.
"We're underrated and that's the way North Melbourne likes to be."
At its mid-season ball, North will also induct three players into its hall of fame, celebrate the 20th anniversary of its 1996 premiership and announce the Shinboner of the 2002-15 era, with the nominees so far including Drew Petrie, Brady Rawlings and Michael Firrito.
Tickets to the ball are selling fast and are available on NMFC.com.au.
