North Melbourne have ensured midfielder Ben Cunnington avoids free agency, signing him until the end of the 2020 AFL season.

Cunnington, who was already contracted through to the end of 2017, signed a three-year contract extension after finishing in the top two in the club’s best and fairest for the past two years.

“I never wanted to leave, and now I won’t have to deal with all that free agency stuff (next year) and all the media and speculation that goes with it,” Cunnington said.