JAMIE Macmillan expects to start running next week and resume non-contact training soon after that, with his return to the field just four to six weeks away.

The second-year North Melbourne half-back broke his cheekbone in a collision with Adelaide midfielder Richard Douglas in the first quarter of last Sunday's game at Etihad Stadium.

Macmillan had surgery at the Epworth Hospital on Monday, when two plates and 10 screws where inserted to repair his right cheekbone.

But the 19-year-old was in a positive frame of mind when he spoke to kangaroos.com.au at Aegis Park on Thursday, buoyed by the fact his injury would not overly disrupt his training regime.

"What's done is done now, I've sort of moved on," Macmillan said.

"The doctors have given me a pretty positive outlook so I'll be back running next week.

"It's only a face, so I can still run around and kick a footy and light my weights. It's not going to hold me back a great deal."

Macmillan has no recollection of his collision with Douglas, in which the Adelaide midfielder's hip accidentally collected Macmillan's face as they contested a loose ball.  

The first thing he remembers is waking up in North's changerooms with club doctor Dan Bates looking down on him. After a quick chat with Dr Bates, he was in an ambulance on his way to the Epworth.

There, CT scans cleared him of any other brain, head or neck injuries.
Prior to his injury, Macmillan had played six consecutive games since breaking back into North's side in round six.

The previous round against the Sydney Swans, he gave a telling glimpse of why the Kangaroos rate him so highly.

Starting in the centre square, he crumbed a hurried Drew Petrie kick forward, broke a Swans tackle, ran to 50m and kicked truly. That one passage of play highlighted the athleticism, game sense and skill that should make Macmillan an important part of North's future midfield mix.

While disappointed to be sidelined, Macmillan said he had been encouraged by his improved consistency at senior level this season and was determined to build on that when he returned.

"It was my goal this year to try to get a bit of consistency and I thought I was slowly building towards that," he said.

"These things are inevitable in footy, so I can't dwell on it too much. I've just to try to get back to where I was."