Rhyce Shaw says Majak Daw remains in the mix for a late season AFL call-up

Majak Daw will step up his comeback when he plays his first full game in the VFL this weekend. And one man watching closely will by coach Rhyce Shaw.

North Melbourne training at Arden Street. Majak Daw. Picture: Mark Stewart

Majak Daw remains in the mix to make an extraordinary AFL comeback this season.

North Melbourne coach Rhyce Shaw says the club will be closely monitoring the key defender’s first full game in the VFL on the weekend.

Daw has played been building up game time across the past three weeks only eight months after suffering serious hip and pelvic injuries.

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He will play full game time in Saturday's VFL clash against the Northern Blues, with Shaw delighted with the progress the 28-year-old has made.

Asked if Daw could return for his 51st AFL game this year, Shaw said: “You wouldn't put it past him the way he is playing at the moment.”

“There is no pressure on him from our point of view, but if he puts his hand up, I would certainly think about it.”

Shaw said the club's “sole focus” throughout Daw’s recovery process has been on his health and wellbeing, and that would continue to be the case.

“We put no pressure on him … (the message has been to) go out there, playing your game, and try to take mark of the year, but that's just the way Maj goes about it. We assess him every week and will continue to do so.”

Majak Daw will play his first full VFL game for the year this weekend. Picture: Mark Stewart

Shaw is taking nothing for granted following his pitch to North Melbourne’s coaching subcommittee, despite most of the football world thinking he is all but a lock for the permanent role.

Shaw had a formal interview after training on Monday afternoon but says he hasn’t been guaranteed anything.

The Kangaroos board met later that night with Shaw looking increasingly likely to win the job, while the Roos remain adamant they will still interview other candidates.

“I had a chat with them (the coaching subcommittee) on Monday and that went OK, and now the process continues,” Shaw said on Wednesday. “I can get on with my day job and look after what we can to try and beat West Coast on the weekend.

“It’s just been a process really, the board and the club have kept me in the loop on everything.

“I just said what I had to say and the guys were really good. We had a good chat and that was it.”

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Asked if he felt any more confident following the interview, Shaw said: “I don’t think so … I am not confident about anything at this stage.”

“I can’t control that (reports he already has the job). I have spoken to a few people at the club and they have just said ‘Be yourself and continue to control what you can’.

“I don’t have any time to be relieved (that the interview is over). I have just got to make sure I get on with the job.”

The caretaker coach has won four of his seven games in charge and suffered narrow losses to Essendon and Brisbane in the past two weeks.

Shaw said Taylor Garner would be considered for selection this week, after ending his club-imposed four-game club suspension.

Rhyce Shaw is in the box seat to be North Melbourne’s next coach.

But defender Scott Thompson has been ruled out of Saturday’s clash against West Coast in Perth following surgery to repair a ruptured testicle.

Shaw saying Thompson looked like he had been “riding bareback”.

As the Kangaroos players trained at Arden Stt, Thompson walked away gingerly to his car, with his coach saying he hopes he will miss only one week.

“He won’t get up this week,” Shaw said.

“He has actually looked like he has been riding bareback for the last four weeks, the way he walked into the club today.

“We have ruled him out, just to be safe.

“I had a thought overnight that it was kind of pushing the friendship a little bit to try and get him up. He was more relieved than anyone he didn’t have to train.”

Thompson suffered the injury during the third quarter of the Kangaroos’ loss to Brisbane last Saturday night, but played on through “excruciating pain”.

Shaw praised the 33-year-old, saying: “The docs was saying on the bench that he was in a world of hurt … (but he said) ‘Get me back out there’.”

“He reckons there was no pain when he was out there. When he stopped he was in excruciating pain.

“For him to get through was an amazing effort, it really helped us stay in the game.”

Shaw is confident Thompson will only miss one week.