St Kilda and North Melbourne to pass on rookies to replace Jake Carlisle and Majak Daw

St Kilda and North Melbourne are unlikely to replace Jake Carlisle and Majak Daw with rookie defenders despite being able to bring the pair back should they overcome serious injuries.

Jake Carlisle will have surgery on his back. Picture: AAP

St Kilda and North Melbourne are likely to decline the chance to replace Jake Carlisle and Majak Daw with rookie defenders despite being able to bring the pair back should they overcome serious injuries.

The Saints said Carlisle needed surgery on his back that could sideline him for most of the season.

They will take on a Gold Coast side without Carlisle and the suspended Nathan Brown, with two-gamer Darragh Joyce and 20-gamer Logan Austin options to join key backs Josh Battle and Dylan Roberton.

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The AFL confirmed that, under new rules, there was little chance the clubs would be left stranded with Carlisle and Daw on long-term injury lists and unable to play.

Clubs have until Friday week to pick up rookies.

Daw and Carlisle could be put on the long-term injury list to ­create space for them.

If the pair were ready to return late in the year, the rookie could be retained and another injured player put on the long-term injury list.

North is determined to give Daw the carrot of a return to the AFL despite putting no pressure on him to play this year.

The Roos are hopeful star defender Robbie Tarrant will be back from a shoulder injury by Round 1, although Scott Thompson is out suspended in that opening clash against Fremantle.

The Roos are putting no pressure on Majak Daw. Picture: Michael Klein

St Kilda believes it has enough defensive cover.

Brown has had a superb summer and will return in Round 2, while the Saints have high hopes for former forward Battle as an intercepting defender.

Irishman Darragh Joyce is 194cm and can play tall, while Austin averaged 20 possessions as a key back in seven games last year but had goals kicked on him by full forwards.

AFL football operations manager Steve Hocking confirmed the clubs would need a second player available to be put on the long-term injury list for players to return.

He said the clubs would need to medically prove that player was eligible to be put on the long-term injury list.

Originally published as St Kilda and North Melbourne to pass on rookies to replace Jake Carlisle and Majak Daw