Few North Melbourne players would have enjoyed the AFL side’s elimination final win over Essendon as much as Brent Harvey.

Harvey was forced to watch from the coach’s box on Saturday night as he served the final leg of a three-game suspension.

Had the Kangaroos been defeated, Harvey’s 19th season would have ended in deflation.

Now the 36-year-old is gearing up to play his 19th final, Friday night’s sudden-death clash with Geelong at the MCG.

“He was absolutely the flattest man I’ve seen when the penalty was initially handed down,” Harvey’s teammate Drew Petrie told the Seven Network’s AFL Game Day.

“He got a little bit better as the weeks wore on.

“Last night I think he sent the whole team a message at about 11.30pm after the game saying, I can’t thank you boys enough.”

Kangaroos coach Brad Scott said Harvey’s overriding emotion at the final siren on Saturday night was relief.

“I think he’s relieved and he gets the opportunity now to repay his teammates and repay his club,” Scott said after the game.

“There aren’t too many players in my experience who come back better after a spell than Boomer.

“He had some pretty important moments in the box again tonight, so we potentially get one back next week on field and lose one off field.”