North Melbourne’s Jack Ziebell can’t and won’t change the aggressive playing style that has the serial offender again sitting on the AFL sidelines.

That’s the view of veteran teammate Brent Harvey, after Ziebell was on Tuesday handed his third lengthy ban for a collision with an opponent in less than two years.

Ziebell’s current three-match suspension was compounded by a penalty loading for his previous offences.

Harvey said it was a major blow to the team and player, but that Ziebell’s aggression was integral to his game and couldn’t be tempered without ruining his effectiveness.

“You can go out and tell Jack that he can’t play like that. He probably won’t get a game,” Harvey told reporters on Wednesday.

He said physical aggression was as much a part of Ziebell’s game as marking was to key forward Drew Petrie or running to speedster Daniel Wells.

“The ball’s there and Jack plays on instinct and that’s the only thing Jack can do,” Harvey said.

“Unfortunately he’s copped another suspension.

“I honestly don’t think Jack will change the way he’s playing and I don’t think he can change the way he’s playing.

“We all see the way Jack attacks the football, he’s going to give away a lot of free kicks.

“Unfortunately he goes twice as hard as anyone else in the competition.

“It’s hard for him but I don’t think he’ll change the way he plays.”

Harvey was confident the Kangaroos, who sit on a 3-6 record after two devastating last-gasp defeats in the past two rounds, would still be in finals contention when Ziebell returns.