Mooroopna’s Jy Simpkin has signed a five-year contract extension with North Melbourne.
The deal — which will see the co-captain at the club until at least the end of 2029 — effectively makes the 25-year-old a ‘Roo for life’.
The five-year extension is on top of the season Simpkin already had remaining on his current contract, making the deal one of the longest in the competition.
Simpkin, who was drafted from the Murray Bushrangers with pick 12 in the 2016 AFL draft, has developed into one of North Melbourne’s most talented and respected players.
Having notched a pair of club best-and-fairest awards in his 124 games for the club, Simpkin is setting the bar high.
“I’ve been here for six or seven years now, and I love this place. I love the club, my teammates and the coaching staff,” he told nmfc.com.au
“I have a lot of respect for everyone at the club, so when my management and the club came together to talk about a long-term deal, it was a no-brainer.”
The proud Yorta Yorta man is also the first Indigenous captain in the club’s history, and is “super excited” about the future of the Kangaroos.
“We are absolutely rapt to have Jy commit his future to North Melbourne,” North Melbourne head of football talent Brady Rawlings said.
“Jy is highly regarded both on and off the field by the whole club, and his decision to sign on for a further five years despite the lure of free agency is a great show of confidence in where we are headed.
“We look forward to watching him continue to be a fantastic player and leader for our club in the years to come.”
North Melbourne made an impressive start to the 2023 season, with the rebuilding Kangaroos picking up consecutive victories over West Coast and Fremantle in the campaign's opening fortnight.
However, the early promising signs took a sharp turn and the Roos are on an eight-game losing streak heading into Sunday’s clash against Collingwood.