North Melbourne power forward Cameron Zurhaar is poised to be available for selection for the Kangaroos' season-opening clash with the West Coast Eagles, while scans have revealed bone stress for crucial key defender Ben McKay.
Zurhaar suffered a calf strain during North's practice game against the Western Bulldogs almost a fortnight ago and has been under an injury cloud in the lead-up to the Roos' bout with the Eagles on Saturday afternoon.
North Melbourne's performance expert Kevin White detailed the caution taken with Zurhaar's ailment and confirmed the 24-year-old's availability for Round 1, provided he manages to get through main training at Arden Street on Thursday.
"(Zurhaar's) going really well, [he] suffered calf tightness in the first half of (North Melbourne's practice game against the Bulldogs), we went [with a] conservative approach just to minimise any damage that may be there.
"[He] ended up having a really minor calf strain, but [he's] progressing functionally really well over the last four sessions that he's had.
"Today, he joined in the back end of our training session, and he's cleared his strength markers in the gym and we'll look to tick off [the] full sprint and speed exposure, and [he will] train fully with the group on Thursday to be available for selection, so, positive news for Cam."
White also mentioned the unfortunate news that scans revealed bone stress in McKay's foot, and he is now in a "de-load period to offset that bone stress" and will miss an indefinite amount of time.
In other Shinboners injury news, ruck-forward Callum Coleman-Jones, who succumbed to a plantar fascia tear and is only recently out of a moon boot, will spend a stint on the sidelines as he heals naturally, while draftee George Wardlaw continues a process of conditioning in his recovery from an ACL rupture that occurred during his draft year.
Ex-Docker Darcy Tucker, who also fell victim to a calf complaint and has had an interrupted pre-season, is expected to play in the VFL this weekend, as are Jackson Archer (groin) and Tarryn Thomas (ankle sprain).
North Melbourne, in Alastair Clarkson's Roos coaching debut, will battle West Coast at Marvel Stadium on Saturday, March 19 (1:45 PM AEDT).