AFL: Veteran North Melbourne ruckman Todd Goldstein still waiting to hear if the Kangaroos want him next season

Unrestricted free agent Todd Goldstein plans to play on next year as he heads towards 300 games but is unsure if he will be at North Melbourne.

The 34-year-old, an All-Australian in 2015, is still one of the embattled club’s best and most consistent contributors but is nearing the end of his stellar career.

Goldstein’s latest three-year deal expires at season’s end – signed after knocking back Geelong’s advances – and he believes he has at least another year left, if not two, but is unsure where he fits in the Roos’ plans beyond 2022.

Tristan Xerri has announced himself as North’s long-term answer in the ruck, while the Kangaroos also traded for ex-Tiger Callum Coleman-Jones last year.

“To be honest, my manager (Tom Petroro) is away, so I don’t know if he’s had any conversations with the footy club,” Goldstein told News Corp.

“The way I try and set up my life is the people I pay to do the job for me can worry about that stuff, because if I worry too much about that, it’s going to creep into my on-field stuff.

“The best thing I can do is play the best footy I can, and try and help this team – and what happens after this year, happens. But I’m not stressing too much about it.”

Coach David Noble confirmed after Saturday’s heartbreaking loss to Collingwood that North Melbourne would likely be in the market for a Luke Hodge-style, mature-aged recruit to complement its youth.

Goldstein, captain Jack Ziebell, Ben Cunnington, Hugh Greenwood and Aaron Hall are the only players aged 30-plus on the Roos’ current list.

The 201cm ruckman has been starved of success since North Melbourne played in back-to-back preliminary finals in 2014-15 but doesn’t regret staying at Arden St.

“I don’t worry about what could have happened. I finally got myself in a really good place (after some personal issues),” he said.

“I was enjoying my footy and enjoying working with this group – and I do love this footy club. My goal was always to stay but we just had to go through the process.

“The only reason another club got involved was because I hadn’t been offered a contract yet. I had a good, hard think about it, but, for me, for my family, the best thing at that point in time was for me to stay.

“In retrospect, maybe the better decision might have been to go, but if I’m back in that same situation, I make the same decision, because I understand why I made it.”

Goldstein was, in his own words, shattered after Collingwood chased down the Kangaroos on Saturday from 28 points down, leaving them with only one win from 16 matches this season.

But he said that sombre feeling beat the “embarrassment” of the previous week’s 112-point capitulation to the Cats.

Experienced administrator Geoff Walsh is leading a review into the club’s operations, with Noble fighting to keep his job.

Goldstein hopes Noble survives but said that club-altering decision was beyond him and the players.

“It’s hard when things aren’t going well but the one thing I’ve been impressed with is how hard the group is working,” he said.

“Everyone’s coming in with a good attitude to work and get better, so that’s all we can keep doing.

“The group has stuck together, we’re fighting through this and hopefully we can come out the other end as better players.”