North Melbourne track watch: Zac Fisher cleared of serious hamstring injury, Brayden George resumes full training

North Melbourne recruit Zac Fisher got some good news from his hamstring scans, plus a young power forward returned to full training. See more from Kangaroos’ track watch here.

Jaidyn Stephenson at North Melbourne training. Picture: David Crosling

North Melbourne recruit Zac Fisher has been cleared of any significant hamstring damage after an injury scare last week.

Fisher completed some light warm up work at pre-season training on Monday morning as he was managed despite the good news from scans over the weekend.

The 25-year-old former Carlton utility had left the field early during match simulation last Friday with hamstring soreness.

“We’ll use this week to build him up through speed and strength and then we’ll assess him at the back end of the week with what that looks like in regards to training,” North Melbourne head of performance Kevin White said.

Clarko watches on. Picture: David Crosling

Several Kangaroos players joined Fisher on light duties on Monday.

Co-captain Luke McDonald (hamstring) only completed part of the main session as he continues to increase his running loads with a view of resuming full training within the next month.

Defender Aidan Corr (ankle) is still on a modified program after his pre-Christmas injury, while Eddie Ford (ankle) and Jackson Archer (groin) will continue to build their loads over coming weeks.

SAUSAGE SIZZLING

After a freak gym accident last October which saw him dislocate his elbow, Brayden George has finally resumed full training.

George was sporting only some light strapping on his left elbow at training on Monday and completed the entire session after the Kangaroos declared they were finally ready to have him “let loose”.

The 20-year-old trained strongly as he pushes to play some senior football this year.

George featured in no AFL or VFL games last season, after suffering an ACL injury midway through 2022 which wiped out his 2023 campaign.

Nicknamed ‘Sausage’ by teammates, he is a 187cm power forward who knows how to snag a goal.

Taken at pick 26 in the 2022 national draft, recruiters likened George to Christian Petracca and Cam Rayner during his draft year given the “unbelievable power and strength” he possessed.

The Roos at work. Picture: David Crosling

TALL ORDER

North Melbourne is looking short on tall timber down back and will be desperate for two such players to step up this year following the departure of key defender Ben McKay in the off-season and the loss of Griffin Logue to an ACL injury.

After another season largely ruined by injury in 2023, the 199cm Charlie Comben is gearing up for a move from the forward line to defence.

Comben sat out match simulation last Friday, but was back in the fold at main training on Monday after being carefully managed over summer.

Another player the Kangaroos will be looking to fill a hole is the 196cm Kallan Dawson.

The No. 2 pick in the 2022 mid-season draft, Dawson spent time opposed to No. 1 forward Nick Larkey during drills on Monday.

Recruited from VFL side Williamstown, the 25-year-old Dawson played just one AFL game last year against Gold Coast in round 24 before signing a new one-year deal for this season.

MISSING TARRYN

There was no sight of Tarryn Thomas at North Melbourne training at La Trobe University in Bundoora on Monday morning as he continues to work on his own away from the main group.

The Kangaroos confirmed on Sunday that Thomas would remain away from main training until after he meets with the AFL Integrity Unit to answer fresh allegations of inappropriate behaviour.

A meeting at AFL headquarters had been scheduled for last Thursday but was postponed until this week due to the unavailability of lawyers.

Originally published as North Melbourne track watch: Zac Fisher cleared of serious hamstring injury, Brayden George resumes full training