North Melbourne was put through its paces again on Wednesday morning, taking part in a match simulation split into two 30-minute halves.

Emerging players continued to press their claims while the experienced members of the bunch resumed their preparation for Round 1, which now lies just a month and a bit away.

After dealing with some niggles, Dan Howe returned to the main group and participated in full for the length of the match. The former Hawk was a composed presence in the wider areas and used the ball efficiently.

Impressive from the first bounce was Tom Powell, who was absent from last week's main session. The 20-year-old garnered two quick clearances to start the contest and was lively for the rest of the match, often being one of the players to drive his team forward from the centre.

Jy Simpkin and Luke Davies-Uniacke were at their usual, classy best around stoppages, while Hugh Greenwood kicked three goals pushing forward from the midfield. One of his three came from a set shot close to goal after he trapped VFL-listed Ben Davis with a trademark tackle.

After his strong start, co-captain Simpkin left the field halfway through the second period grabbing his hamstring before heading into the rooms. He re-emerged to complete a series of run-throughs along the boundary line but was soon after put on ice as he watched the remainder of the session alongside teammates from the bench.

"I don't think (there are any concerns with Simpkin)," veteran Jack Ziebell said afterwards in a media conference.

"I had a bit of a chat with him at half-time and he said he was a little bit tight in his hamstring. It's actually been a really big block for us in the last two weeks and today was the last really big main session that we've got, so there was a no-risk policy."

Equally as effective as Greenwood around the big sticks was Ben Cunnington who again proved threatening when he pushed forward, ending the sim with three majors as he did last week. When in attack, Callum Coleman-Jones was another potent option who tallied several score involvements.

Paul Curtis produced plenty of energy in the midfield and forward line. He was dangerous inside 50 and continued to use the ball effectively out of the contest, notably hitting up Coleman-Jones in the second half with a darting left-foot pass.

Co-captain Luke McDonald was smart and clean exiting defensive 50, while Jaidyn Stephenson slotted three goals with one of those coming off the back of a scrubbed ball inside 50, which the opportunistic forward gathered with intent before wheeling onto his right foot and converting from distance.

Cam Zurhaar saw midfield minutes in the early stages of the sim and it didn’t refrain him from troubling the scorers, finishing with three goals after putting through five last week. It was some deft crumbing work from Harry Sheezel at the death of the first period that set Zurhaar up for his first of the morning.

Tristan Xerri and Hamish Free went head to head in the ruck at the beginning of the contest with the former finishing with two goals and several strong grabs to his name. Todd Goldstein and Coleman-Jones squared off post-break after the former Tiger switched sides, like others throughout the session.

STARTING TEAMS
Blue: Curtis, Goldstein, McDonald, Ziebell, Phillips, Simpkin, Davies-Uniacke, Cunnington, Xerri, Greenwood, Larkey, Zurhaar, Sheezel, Shiels, Goater, McKay, Archer, Bonar, Perez, Turner, Coleman-Jones, Scott
Yellow (supplemented by VFL list): Ford, Free, Harvey, Young, Howe, Lazzaro, Edwards, Drury, Spicer, Bergman, Stephenson, Powell, Dawson, Spicer

GOALS
AFL-listed: Zurhaar 3, Greenwood 3, Cunnington 3, Stephenson 3, Xerri 2, Ziebell, Coleman-Jones, Curtis, Simpkin, Goater, Larkey

Absent from match sim: Corr, Wardlaw, George, Tucker, Taylor, Hall, Comben, Logue, Mahony