There is said to be a "bit of a watch" on gun North Melbourne midfielder Luke Davies-Uniacke this week following recent scans on an injury concern believed to be hampering the Roos ball winner.
Coach Alastair Clarkson will be forced into at least one change for Saturday's matchup with Melbourne after the Kangaroos decided against challenging defender Kallan Dawson's one-game suspension for striking.
The loss of the key defender could force a shuffle among Clarkson's key position stocks, with recruit Toby Pink potentially returning to the backline to fill the void left by Dawson.
North Melbourne co-captain Jy Simpkin could also come into the selection mix after being a late out for the club's Round 14 loss to Collingwood due to a hamstring issue.
The midfielder is needing to prove his fitness at training over the coming days, and could now be joined by Davies-Uniacke in being a test ahead of the weekend.
According to SEN's Sam Edmud, Davies-Uniacke is dealing with an "undisclosed injury complaint" and recently underwent scans.
The mysterious ailment is expected to place Davies-Uniacke in some doubt ahead of the club's clash with the Demons, with the midfielder needing to prove his fitness at training on Thursday.
A bit of a watch on Luke Davies-Uniacke. Had an MRI scan during the week on an undisclosed injury complaint. The midfielder will hope to train tomorrow and prove his fitness for the game against Melbourne on Saturday night. @1116sen
— Sam Edmund (@Sammy__Edmund) June 19, 2024
Hamstring and foot issues hindered Davies-Uniacke's 2023 campaign, keeping him to just 14 appearances. He has since played every game this season.
Davies-Uniacke's potential absence comes as the Kangaroos prepare to welcome back injured duo Colby McKercher and Griffin Logue, with the latter to return from an ACL injury sustained last year through the VFL on Sunday in Casey.
McKercher could come straight back into Clarkson's side after dealing with a recent foot injury, potentially joining Simpkin among the Roos' list of inclusions.
While still needing to overcome a recent hip issue, fringe tall Bigoa Nyuon could earn a reprieve given the aforementioned loss of Dawson for this weekend, while first-year forward Zane Duursma could also be considered if Pink is moved to defence.
Duursma enjoyed a career-best performance in the VFL last week against Collingwood, booting three goals from 25 disposals in a 41-point win.
Dylan Stephens, Cooper Harvey, Charlie Lazzaro and Miller Bergman could be in consideration for their efforts in VFL also.
