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AAP
AAP
Sport
Oliver Caffrey

Cooper Harvey to create own Kangaroos path

Draft pick Cooper Harvey (c) will follow his father Brent (r) in playing in the AFL with North. (Dan Peled/AAP PHOTOS) (AAP)

Cooper Harvey wants to make his own name at North Melbourne and will likely shun any opportunity to wear his famous father Brent's number.

The 18-year-old became the fourth father-son selection on the Kangaroos' list when he was taken with pick 56 in the AFL Draft on Tuesday night.

Cooper joins Jackson Archer (son of Glenn), Bailey Scott (Robert) and Luke McDonald (Donald) at Arden St in a boost for the rebuilding Roos.

Brent is a North legend having played an AFL-record 432 games for the Kangaroos between 1996 and 2016, starring in the club's last premiership in 1999.

They are big footsteps to follow but Cooper is not daunted by the situation and was straight into work at the club on Wednesday

"Just create my own path," Cooper said of his father's words of advice.

"What he's done is obviously amazing, but just being myself and being my own player and creating something."

Brent's No.29 jumper was not worn by anyone at North for four years after he retired.

But that changed in 2021 when midfielder Will Phillips was given the honour after he was drafted.

"It's a hard one, but I think Will Phil (Phillips) looks good in it so he can keep it," Cooper said.

Even after Brent's time in the AFL ended, the Hall of Famer has continued playing local football at North Heidelberg.

Cooper played in a Northern Football League game with his dad and uncle Shane last year.

He had no problem stepping up into senior football, finishing with 24 possessions and two goals.

Cooper looks to possess a combative streak after being hit with a one-game suspension for an incident in that game.

"It's a good record; he played one game and got a one-week suspension so he wasn't taken aback," Brent joked.

Brent has remain involved at North as a runner on gamedays and will keep providing advice and feedback to Cooper.

"Super excited for him, very proud as a dad," Brent said.

"Cooper mentioned it and he's on his own journey now and that's that's fantastic but I'll help him out as much as I can."

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