WHEN Hamish McIntosh recovers from a knee injury he will be competing with North Melbourne's wealth of key forwards for a senior spot rather than fellow ruckman Todd Goldstein, coach Brad Scott says.
Scott said McIntosh, who has been sidelined since injuring his knee in round seven against the Western Bulldogs, was still two to four weeks away from returning to the field.
When he does Scott suggested North would be unlikely to play two ruckman alongside the three key forwards - Drew Petrie, Robbie Tarrant and Lachlan Hansen - that it played successfully against the Crows last Sunday.
"I think that these days against certain opposition I think there's a possibility of [playing two ruckmen and three key forwards] but we look at Hamish as being one of those key forwards," Scott said.
"I don't think you can play primarily or solely as a ruckman these days without the ability to go forward and that is if you choose to play two (ruckmen).
"Hamish's form before he got injured was pretty good so he's a quality player, but again he just falls into the mix of [forwards] (Aaron) Black, (Cameron) Pedersen, (Aaron) Edwards, that if they're in form they'll come in, if they're not others will play ahead of them."
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In McIntosh's absence, fellow ruckman Goldstein has rediscovered his best form in the ruck after a slow start to 2012. And Scott said he was hopeful that after two and a half years' experimentation the Kangaroos had found their ideal forward-line structure against the Crows.
However, Scott made it clear that his forward line's weekly make-up would be determined solely on form, with Edwards and Black still "really important" players and Pederson a proven AFL performer.
Meanwhile, Scott said rookie Majak Daw was unlikely to make his AFL debut soon despite North's ability to elevate another rookie after first-year forward Tom Curran's move onto the long-term injury list this week.
"Majak Daw and a few others are playing some reasonable footy. Majak has had a really interrupted year with injury so we just want some continuity for him," Scott said.
"But he's showing all the right signs of being an AFL player of the future. Hopefully he can push up for selection later this year but I wouldn't say it's imminent."
North's 32-point win against the Crows last Sunday was its first against a top-eight team since its impressive round three win against Geelong.
In between those wins, North won just three of its next eight games.
Scott admitted North had played some young players after the Cats win who hadn't been ready for the intensity of AFL football but said North wouldn't do anything differently to try and avoid another form slump.
"We've got to focus on the fundamentals at training and working really hard," Scott said.
"We'll stick with the players who have been doing the job for us even in the losses."
Despite North's winless record against St Kilda during his reign, Scott said his team was "really well placed to take it right up to them" this Sunday at Etihad Stadium.
"They've given us a hard time in the past but we're certainly up for the challenge this week," he said.
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Nick Bowen covers North Melbourne news for AFL.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_Nick
