Josh Goater is one of six inclusions for Friday's VFL game against Footscray at Mission Whitten Oval.
The defender/winger suffered a ruptured Achilles in North Melbourne's opening match of the 2024 AFL season, with subsequent quad and hamstring setbacks keeping him on the sidelines until this week.
For his first appearance in 2025, the No.31 has been named to start on the wing.
Jackson Archer is back in the reserves side having shaken off a hamstring complaint, while Eddie Ford returns from a midfoot sprain and will line up at half-back.
After travelling with the AFL team to Launceston last week as an emergency, Callum Coleman-Jones will reprise his role as a ruck-forward.
VFL-listed players Olli Hotton and Alex Noblett are also back in the side.
Connor Downie has been omitted from the team that lost to Box Hill in Round 14, while Nathaniel Sulzberger will miss due to injury.
Bailey Scott, Cooper Harvey, Finnbar Maley and Zane Duursma have been called up for AFL duty.
How to follow the game
You can live stream the match free via the AFL website, AFL Live Official App and VFL App. Head here on gameday to keep up with the score and our best performers.
Round 15
Friday, July 4
Footscray v North Melbourne at Mission Whitten Oval, 4.05pm AEST
| B | L. Urquhart (14) | A. Tomlinson (80) | C. Trembath (47) |
| HB | E. Ford (40) | D. Macpherson (50) | K. Dawson (42) |
| C | B. Huggard (48) | M. Keast (64) | J. Goater (31) |
| HF | Z. Banch (45) | B. Teakle (43) | R. Stevens (36) |
| F | G. Payne (23) | J. Tarrant (79) | B. George (33) |
| R | C. Coleman-Jones (21) | O. Hotton (62) | A. Noblet (56) |
| INT | M. Whitlock (35) | O. Lowe (70) | J. Archer (34) |
| S. Linder (67) | T. Goad (22) | ||
| 23rd Player | S. Linder (67) | ||
| EMG | C. Downie (73) | O. van Dam (74) | C. Harrop (55) |
| IN | E. Ford | J .Goater | C. Coleman-Jones |
| J. Archer | O. Hotton | A. Noblet | |
| OUT | B. Scott (AFL) | C. Harvey (AFL) | F. Maley (AFL) |
| Z. Duursma (AFL) | C. Downie (omitted) | N. Sulzberger (injured) | |
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