GLENN Archer is the Shinboner of the Century, but he is just like every other diehard North Melbourne supporter right now - he loves watching George Wardlaw go to work. 

The Kangaroos remain mathematically alive in 2026 with two rounds to play and have won nine games for the first time since 2019. 

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Wardlaw is a key reason why. 

The 22-year-old doesn't keep the statisticians busy like Harry Sheezel or Luke Davies-Uniacke, but when he plays, they win more – North is 8-6 with Wardlaw and 1-6 without him – in 2026.

Wardlaw has battled hamstring and concussion issues across his first four years at Arden Street. He missed the start of this season due to a hamstring strain, then the important block between round 18 and 22 after another strain, where the Kangaroos lost all four games. 

But in his return last Thursday night, Wardlaw terrorised the Western Bulldogs and inspired North Melbourne to an important win that highlighted his tremendous value to a success-starved club and supporter base. 

"I love the way he goes about it. Last Thursday I was watching and I reckon I yelled out 15 times, 'well done George'," Archer told AFL.com.au ahead of Saturday's game against Geelong. 

"He definitely inspires, not just his supporters, but his teammates as well. I think when you see someone playing like that with that attack on the ball and that second, third, fourth, fifth efforts, he actually makes the other guys do it as well because his teammates see it and go, 'oh God, if he's doing it, I better do it as well'."

Archer won two premierships under Denis Pagan, the Norm Smith Medal in 1996, earned All-Australian selection on three occasions and was selected in North Melbourne's team of the century.

But the accolade that best defines his 311-game career at Arden Street is the title of ‘Shinboner of the Century', which was voted on in 2005 by every surviving past and present Kangaroo and recognised the player who most embodied the club's tough, blue-collar spirit. 

"George absolutely epitomises North Melbourne," Archer said. "He also just epitomises the football that everyone loves; it doesn't matter what team it is, all supporters love that player that simply tries really hard and has got a real competitive edge. He's 10 out of 10 in both of them."

Wardlaw reminds Archer of a two-time premiership teammate who he played 230 games alongside in the 1990s and 2000s. 

"Oh, his effort and that competitive edge is very similar to Anthony Stevens. Very similar," he said. "[They play the] same position on ball. The second, third, fourth efforts, the tackles, put your head over the ball, all that sort of stuff; that was Stevo; he was exactly the same as George."

North Melbourne has won four finals – two in 2014 and two in 2015 – since Archer retired almost two decades ago. It had won only 20 games in the previous six seasons before 2026. 

The big loss to Fremantle in Bunbury and games they could have won against Port Adelaide, Collingwood, Melbourne and St Kilda have put their progress in the spotlight in the past two months, but Archer believes the Kangaroos have improved this year after years in the wilderness. 

"They've definitely improved, not majorly but they've improved, I reckon," he said. "Their effort is there for longer, they're won nine games, which is a big improvement, but they've just been able to hang in games where in the last four years where we would just get blown out. And that comes with the guys getting older, like another year older because they can sustain pressure and they can absorb it. That's where they've definitely improved; that effort for longer is definitely better."

Now, like all North Melbourne supporters, and diehard footy fans, Archer is counting down the days until he gets to watch Wardlaw play again.