BY ALANA LAKELAND

SPECULATION is mounting as to who will take over from Adam Simpson as the captain of North Melbourne after the club’s third-longest serving skipper announced yesterday that he would step down from the position.

Simpson relinquished the captaincy but will play on next year in circumstances reminiscent of his predecessor Anthony Stevens, who stood down at the end of 2003 but played on for another year.

The names that have been bandied about to succeed Simpson include Brent Harvey, Drew Petrie, Brady Rawlings, Daniel Pratt and Michael Firrito and the club is set to make the appointment by the end of the month.

According to The Age, Harvey, 30, is the front runner for the role and is well-practiced in such a role after leading the Australian team in the recent International Rules series.

With a young emerging list, North Melbourne coach Dean Laidley said they are open to appointing a young captain who could develop into a long-term leader, an indication that they would be willing to take a punt on Petrie, 26, or Pratt, 25.

Simpson’s successor will have big shoes to fill, with the Kangaroos making the finals in three of the five season he lead the team, including a preliminary final in 2007.

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