North Melbourne dual premiership stars Emma Kearney and Jenna Bruton face a race to be fit for the club’s pre-season warm-up matches after suffering hamstring injuries.
Former captain Kearney, who has strained her right hamstring, is expected to be sidelined for 2-3 weeks.
A left hamstring injury will keep out veteran midfielder Bruton for a similar timeframe.
The Kangaroos face Richmond in a match simulation at Waverley Park on Wednesday in the first of a series of pre-season tune-ups.
Senior physiotherapist Billy Williams said both players' injuries were "on the minor end" and they had already resumed rehab running.
"Given the timing we will look to carefully grade them back towards full training with the view to have them fully fit for round one," Williams said.
Midfielder Nicole Bresnehan continues to track towards an early-season return from the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury she suffered last year.
"Nicole continues to work through her late stage ACL rehabilitation and recently completed further strength and functional testing, and her results were really pleasing," Williams said.
"She won't be available for selection for the first three rounds of the year, but we hope things continue progressing in the right direction and we can look closer at a specific return date for her soon."
Winger Amy Smith, who cruelly ruptured her own ACL last month, has begun the long road to recovery after undergoing successful surgery.
Smith is "working hard at regaining her range of motion and starting to rebuild her quadricep strength", Williams said.
Forwards Vikki Wall (ankle) and Amy Gavin Mangan (hamstring) have rejoined main training after recovering from their injuries.
Injury List
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The Kangaroos launch their AFLW premiership defence with a double-header against Geelong at Marvel Stadium in the weekend of August 13-16.
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