Todd Goldstein was all but an onlooker at North Melbourne training on Monday, but the Kangaroos say there is no major concern surrounding the fitness of their star ruckman.
The Roos sweltered through two and ½ hours of mainly match simulation at Arden Street in front of a smattering of fans who braved the school holiday heat of more than 30 degrees to attend the open session. Goldstein was unsighted for a significant part of the session, and restricted to minimal duties when he made it onto the ground. He did not appear injured.
North explained Goldstein's absence as management of his pre-season load. With Goldstein sidelined, the ruck was mainly contested between youngsters Braydon Preuss and Tom Jeffries. Preuss is yet to play a game but is seen by North as an emerging talent. The Roos elevated the Queenslander to their senior list at the end of last season after he spent the previous two years on the club's rookie list. Former rugby union player Jeffries is a longer-term prospect, having been signed by the Roos late last year as a category B rookie.
Fellow big men Ben Brown and Majak Daw were also absentees, with both set to return from knee issues next month. Key defender Scott Thompson is also nearing a return after undergoing groin surgery last month, while utility Sam Wright and tagger Ben Jacobs are also on their respective comeback trails after injury interrupted ravaged seasons last year.
Promisingly for North, off-season recruits Marley Williams and Nathan Hrovat both trained strongly, as did veteran key forward Jarrad Waite, who endured another frustrating season in 2016 in which he was limited to just 14 games because of a hip issue.
After the exits of Brent Harvey, Daniel Wells, Drew Petrie and Michael Firrito, Goldstein, 28, is among the longest-serving players at North. Having dominated the 2015 season in which he was the club's best and fairest, was named All-Australian and finished second in the AFL Players' Association MVP award, Goldstein's output diminished last year.
He missed the top 10 in the Syd Barker Medal count having battled a knee ailment mid-season. Goldstein last month rubbished speculation that he was interested in a move to West Coast in last year's trade period.
Having made the difficult decision not to offer new contracts to Harvey, Petrie, Firrito and fellow veteran Nick Dal Santo, the new-look Roos face Sydney in Coffs Harbour on Sunday, February 19, North's first match in the pre-season series.
The following Sunday North host Hawthorn at Arden Street as AFL action returns to the suburban venue. The game is expected to be a sellout.
With that fixture little over a month away, the ground looked in good condition on Monday.
North's home-and-away season starts with a home game against West Coast at Etihad Stadium, meaning the possibility of a first-up meeting with Petrie, who the Eagles picked up in last year's rookie draft to help bolster a vulnerable ruck department after injuries to big men Nic Naitanui and Scott Lycett.
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