North Melbourne captain Brent Harvey says middle-tier teammates are failing his AFL club.

Harvey singled out Lachie Hansen and Sam Wright among those to blame for the Kangaroos' 87-point capitulation against Collingwood on Saturday.

"I think it is more our young guys not toeing the line, the guys in between 21-years and 25-years old, Sam Wright, Lachie Hansen, when are they going to step up?" Harvey told ABC Radio.

"It is now, we can't say potentially we are going to be a good team in a couple of years, mate, I'm not saying that, I have probably only got a couple of years left in me, I want it to be right now.

"... I am more disappointed with that middle tier group.

"We will have a chat during the week, and we will look each other in the eye because we are all men.

"I know I am talking about the 21 to 25 year-olds but they are still men.

"We will demand more from each other because if we don't, we're kidding ourselves ... there is certainly going to be no hiding, we will tell it the way it is."

Harvey's coach Brad Scott backed the sentiments.

"We're not going to get to where we want to go if we're continually relying on the same guys every week," Scott said post-game.

"We need the younger guys to step up.

"They've got to grow up, and grow up quickly.

"They are genuine competitors so this will sting them and this will hurt them but it's going to mean nothing unless we go back and rectify it in two weeks' time against Fremantle."

North Melbourne have the bye in round three.

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