"It doesn't matter how good you are, it's always going to be the overseas players that they'll play in the national team. It's just the way it is.
"It's a must if I want to be in the national team," North tells au.fourfourtwo.com.

"It's also a problem when you have this long off season and you're not match fit if the Socceroos are playing or a club overseas wants to look at you. Don't get me wrong, though, the A-League has been brilliant."

If North's words sound stingingly familiar, it's because Jet Nick Carle echoed similar sentiments recently and, as we now know, the talismanic playmaker has signed with Turkish club Genclerbierligi over the weekend.

North couldn't be happier for his now-former Jet teammate who has earned Newcastle a tidy sum with a half a million plus transfer fee. "I'm real happy for him. He can make it. He's got the right attitude and he's a one of a kind.

"Nick's going to be hard to replace, he's got a great character. It's a massive blow."