North Melbourne's Brent Harvey has delayed surgery on his injured thumb in a bid to play in a fourth international rules series next month.

Harvey and teammates Michael Firrito, Daniel Wells, Lindsay Thomas and Matthew Campbell have all been named in a preliminary Australian squad to take on Ireland in Perth on October 24, with a second game to be played in Melbourne a week later.

While Harvey revealed he had some floating bone around the base of his thumb, doctors have told him surgery could wait until after the series.

"I was in the squad, but I thought I needed my thumb operation," Harvey said.

"Now I'm not going to get it done. I rang them (selectors) again and said I was available and they said `good' which hopefully means I get selected.

"If I get a game, it will probably be my last opportunity to play international rules."

Harvey's desperation to play in another series against Ireland - he played in 2000, 2001 and 2003 - stems from his intent to learn from coaching legend Mick Malthouse and coach-in-waiting Nathan Buckley as he prepares himself for life after football.

The 30-year-old said he had a desire to become an AFL development coach after retiring from the game, admitting he would attempt to get more involved in Australia's game-plan against the Irish to improve his football knowledge.

He believed following the series, he would be more employable after playing under Malthouse and Buckley as well as dual premiership coach Denis Pagan and current Kangaroos coach Dean Laidley.

He added he would like to return to his former club - the Northern Knights under-18 team - to begin the process of becoming a development coach.

"I just want to go there once a month," he said.

"I don't want to take training, I want to be on the side of the track helping kids that might have a kicking technique problem and be a bit of a mentor.

"I don't know how long I've got left (playing in the AFL) - I might have two years or four years - but if I start putting things in place now and I do alright in it, hopefully word gets around.

"When you're finished in footy, you want people ringing you, you don't want to be ringing them.

"I don't want my manager ringing clubs asking them, `What do you think of Brent Harvey?'"

Meanwhile, Harvey dismissed suggestions club veteran Adam Simpson should hand over the captaincy to another player, with Drew Petrie a leading candidate.

Simpson was well down in North's elimination final loss to Sydney, collecting just 13 touches.

But Harvey was effusive in his praise for Simpson's leadership.

"He (Simpson) is the best captain I've played under and I've played under Wayne Carey, Anthony Stevens, who I love," he said.

"But Simmo is a champion bloke, a role model, not only on the field and off the field, but away from the footy club.

"He's got good morals and I've learnt heaps from him in terms of the life off the field with family and way you conduct himself.

"He's an amazing family man, amazing captain so I don't reckon he'll stand down."

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