Roos co-captain set for Dockers
North Melbourne is likely to recall co-captain Luke McDonald and consider key position back Charlie Comben as it searches for replacements for injured defender Josh Goater.
Goater tore his achilles tendon and will miss the rest of the season in a shattering blow for a third-year player who had put together a massive pre-season.
The Roos lost by 39 points against Greater Western Sydney in a fighting performance – but were out-sized, outpointed and overwhelmed by the Giants’ key-position talls and defenders. North Melbourne takes on Fremantle on Saturday
afternoon at Marvel Stadium before a Good Friday clash against Carlton.
Co-captain Jy Simpkin will have to prove his fitness after the Roos took a cautious approach with the midfielder when he was concussed in a collision with Jimmy Webster on March 3.
Coach Alastair Clarkson had declined to risk McDonald in round 1 after a hamstring tendon injury he rehabbed across summer, but he played in an intra-club match on Saturday.
With the Roos needing experience and organisation in their young backline McDonald is the obvious replacement for Goater. The Roos played Aidan Corr, after his ankle issues, and while debutante Toby Pink and former midseason draftee Kallan Dawson battled hard they were exposed in the air.
Former forward Comben has been repurposed as a keyposition defender and was strong in the intra-club match.
Former Richmond player Bigoa Nyuon played in that clash but left the field and did not return after copping a knock. The Roos drafted linebreaking half back Riley Hardeman at pick 23 in last year’s national draft but he is not quite ready to make his AFL debut.