North Melbourne midfielder George Wardlaw is expected to be sidelined for up to a month due to a hamstring strain. The injury occurred during a VFL practice match last week. Scans identified a low-grade strain in the same area as a previous injury.
According to North Melbourne head of performance Kevin White, Wardlaw is anticipated to return to play in 3-4 weeks.
Separately, defender Riley Hardeman sustained a medium-grade left ankle sprain during a practice match against Melbourne.
He is projected to be out for 2-3 weeks, with White indicating he aims to manage swelling and inflammation before rebuilding fitness for round one.
Additionally, Taylor Goad suffered a lateral ankle sprain during training.
His recovery period is estimated at 3-5 weeks, focusing initially on reducing swelling and soreness before progressing to loading the leg.