Jared Polec is in line for a return to North Melbourne's AFL side this weekend, with the wing player an unfortunate late omission from the Kangaroos' Round 1 side due to injury.

Polec was pulled from the team that took on Hawthorn due to an ankle injury suffered in the AAMI Community Series against Sydney.

Replaced in the line-up by Tom Powell, Polec should put his hand up for selection this weekend according to General Manager of Football Performance Dan McPherson.

"His foot pulled up a bit sore after the Sydney game. He trained and was really close to playing in Round 1, but we pulled the pin on game day because he wasn’t 100 per cent confident he could get through a whole game," McPherson said.

"We fully expect him to train this week and be available for selection against West Coast."

Ben McKay will be unavailable for this weekend’s clash with West Coast as he continues to move through the AFL’s concussion protocols.

McKay was substituted out North Melbourne’s Round 1 clash with Hawthorn in the second quarter after copping a knee to the head in a marking contest.

McPherson says McKay is recovering well after the initial head knock.

"It was a decent knock but it’s not an overly severe case of concussion, he’s pulled up ok from it," McPherson told North Media.

"He’s automatically ruled out of this week’s game under the AFL’s 12-day protocols, so provided he progresses through those with no issues, we’ll look forward to having him available for Round 3 against Brisbane."

Josh Walker was a late unavailability on the weekend after entering the League’s health and safety protocols.

Walker was initially named in the squad the Hawks clash, and McPherson says while he’ll have completed his seven days of isolation by the West Coast game, Walker could be unavailable for the Round 2 clash.

"Josh tested positive to COVID-19 at the end of last week, so unfortunately he wasn’t able to get a game under his belt at either AFL or VFL level," McPherson said.

"His symptoms are really mild at the moment, but sometimes you don’t know how your body will react to having had the virus. We’ll have to wait and see how he’s feeling at the back end of the week. His health has to take priority."

Jackson Archer and Atu Bosenavulagi both suffered injuries in North’s VFL practice game against Box Hill on Sunday, however McPherson says neither will spend long on the sidelines.

"'Jacko' dislocated his finger on the weekend. He had scans on it but he should be OK - he should be fine to play this weekend," he said.

"Atu got a concussion, so he’ll go through the same protocols as Ben (McKay). He definitely won’t play this week."

After 549 days between games, Flynn Perez made his long awaited return from a knee reconstruction on the weekend in the Kangaroos’ VFL practice game.

McPherson says Perez is now fully fit and firing.

"Flynn got the green light a couple of weeks ago to be fully integrated back into the program. He’s full steam head now and it was great to see him not just play on the weekend, but play really well too," he said.

"He’s all systems go."