Shaun Higgins has joined Geelong in the twilight of his AFL career but is adamant he can play a big role in the Cats’ premiership hunt.

Higgins will turn 33 in March, while fellow recruit Isaac Smith will be 32 later this month, with the pair joining Geelong on two-year deals via a trade and free agency respectively.

An All-Australian in 2018 and a dual best-and-fairest winner at North Melbourne, Higgins is set to float between the Cats’ forward line and midfield.

“I still feel like I can play my best footy,” Higgins said.

“I’ve still got a role that I feel I can play through the middle of the ground and up forward – so I’m excited about that.

“To be honest (my job is) to come down and play whatever that role looks like.

“I guess guys will say that when they go to a new club – but it really is just to fit in to what the team needs and I think it is going to be a bit of the high-half forward and through the middle of the ground.

“But personally, I’m feeling really good, the body’s great and I still believe that my best footy’s still to come.”

Higgins, a childhood Cats supporter whose sister Danielle plays for the club’s AFLW team, was linked to a move to Geelong last year but ultimately stayed at Arden Street.

He was eighth in North Melbourne’s best and fairest as the Kangaroos finished 17th, while Geelong made a grand final – but he was adamant he’d made the right decision at the time.

“No I don’t (think I’m 12 months too late) because the way that it panned out at the time, that was the right decision for myself and the previous football club,” he said.

“I’m not really interested about changing the past, I guess – I’m excited about what we can do moving forward.

“It’s another challenge for me and at my age, sometimes guys aren’t fortunate like this to get that challenge – so I’m looking forward to it.”