IT would doubtless surprise few who know anything about the AFL that Brent Harvey was pretty much best afield against Sydney last weekend.

Among his 22 touches, the North Melbourne star kicked a goal, assisted in two others, had a run and a bounce, went inside 50 five times, spoiled twice and, despite being only 172 centimetres and 76 kilograms, laid an effective tackle.

In a match in which a clean possession was almost as prized as a goal (and remember, only 17 of them were scored), his influence was possibly the difference between the Kangaroos escaping with two points from a draw and having Sydney overrun them.

But such is the expectation that Harvey will play well that the diminutive Kangaroo has become one of those enigmas whose infrequent failures stand out more, and receive far greater scrutiny, than his continued brilliance. A backhanded compliment if ever there was one.

So much so that despite his reputation for consistent, high-quality performances, Harvey has become one of the most unsung players of the past 20 years. Perhaps only seven-time Western Bulldogs' best and fairest Scott West has flown so constantly "under the radar" of public recognition.

Few other than North Melbourne fans would know that the 29-year-old, who joined the Roos in 1996 and played in a reserves grand final the same year, has won three club best and fairests in the past five years. He was also best on the ground in the 1999 state-of-origin match (kicking five goals), played in the Kangaroos' 1999 premiership side, played seven international rules games and won a Jim Stynes medal in 2003, and last year was equal second in the Brownlow Medal.

Age senior football writer Jake Niall mused last week that, "Pound for pound Harvey is the best player in the AFL", and yet the likes of Shane Crawford, for example, is more recognised and held in higher regard.

Adam Simpson, North Melbourne skipper and a man who has played beside Harvey for his entire career, was full of praise for Harvey this week, suggesting not only that he's the best player at Arden Street, but a driving force behind the club's success.

"He's our best player by a mile, and he's been our best player for, probably, six years," Simpson said. "He's won three best and fairests in five years, he never misses a game, he's played 245 games and he's not even 30. He'll break the games record and he'll play for another four years, easy.

"We need him to play well for us to win. You look at the years when he hasn't had great years, the team hasn't gone that well. He's not the be-all and end-all by any stretch, but we need him playing well."

Like Simpson, himself a modest and forthright man, Harvey has played all his football at North Melbourne, a place where, until the mid-1970s, success was the birthright of other teams and good, hard, old-fashioned and unpretentious toil was the mantra. According to Simpson, Harvey's football home may account for why his efforts go unheralded.

"I'd say he gets under the radar because it's just the way our club is. If he played for someone else it would probably be different. He's won all the accolades, he just hasn't got the recognition. He hasn't got a Brownlow but he's won everything else, except maybe not a Norm Smith.

"He's very humble, family-oriented. I've grown up with him and the values the club has taught both of us are along the lines of humility and respect and to be very down to earth. And I think that's why he gets underrated a bit, because he never talks himself up, he doesn't put himself out there. That's what the club's like."

Harvey lets out a slightly embarrassed chuckle when it is put to him he misses out on the accolades that would be afforded others with his record.

"I don't think about it. As a team we fly under the radar at the North Melbourne Football Club and whether that's individuals getting pointed out or the whole team, I think that happens around here all the time," he said.

"We've got some pretty good players and they also fly under the radar. Look at someone like Adam Simpson, who's been playing for 15 years. He's an exceptional player, a great leader. Daniel Wells, Daniel Harris, Michael Firrito coming through, we've got some real good players who, if they were at other clubs, would be seriously high profile.

"But I suppose we structure our whole game plan around being a team rather than having a few good individuals."

Harvey said a large part of his success came from setting goals each week to ensure he worked as part of the team rather than just playing a role for himself.

"I sit down with assistant coach Darren Bewick each week and set a few goals. If I achieve those goals I reckon I've played my role again. It keeps coming back to that, playing my role as part of a team."