Alastair Clarkson has offered an insight into his selection process as his Kangaroos fight to return to the winners list.

A clamour has risen for blue-chip selection George Wardlaw to come into the team, but the senior coach says the 18-year-old will likely have to wait a little longer.

In the meantime, the North Melbourne match committee will continue to fine-tune the balance of young talent and hardened bodies.

"Up until this point we've given the older players an opportunity, but there'll be a tipping point in our season where (that'll change) if it's not going so well," Clarkson told reporters on Thursday.

"We just don't want to put so many young blokes into the side all at once. We need some older guys in there that just steer the ship and guide them.

"But if our performances don't warrant us being competitive enough then we're better off just going with the younger kids and copping whatever comes our way.

"(For now) we're trying to find the balance between some experience with the older guys just showing the way.

"From our point of view, that's freed up Harry Sheezel, Charlie Comben, Miller Bergman until he got ill - kids that have been getting a go and doing it nicely among the senior guys."

The Kangaroos could be bolstered by the return of co-captain Jy Simpkin, who suffered a broken hand in Gather Round and missed Sunday's game against Gold Coast.

Simpkin trained in full on Thursday morning, with the match committee to make a call on his availability later in the day.

"It's amazing what they can do with surgeries nowadays," Clarkson wondered.

"I broke my hand when I was playing and I was out for six weeks. Now with pins and plates and a bit of metalwork, they can get you going within a week.

"If he's reasonably pain-free, and he's able to tackle and handle the ball OK, we're hoping he'll be able to play for us."

Simpkin's potential inclusion will be a shot in the arm for North Melbourne as Clarkson and his coaching staff prepare to tackle Norm Smith medallist Christian Petracca, Clayton Oliver and a strong supporting cast.

The narrative around whether or not to put time into curbing opposition onballers has intensified after Collingwood father-son recruit Nick Daicos' colossal performance on Anzac Day.

The 20-year-old collected 40 disposals at 80 per cent and booted two goals against the Bombers, including the go-ahead goal deep in the final term.

"When they're having that much influence on a game, sometimes you have to forego your structures and systems just to make sure you get that done," Clarkson said.

"We're facing that this week ourselves … do you tag one of them or don't you? If you decide to tag there's going to be some implications for your system.

"If you don't tag, you're at the mercy of those guys getting off the chain and really hurting you. That's the art of coaching, and you don't always get it right, I can assure you."

While Clarkson will continue to brief his players on the Demons' defensive strengths and explosive transitions, he says the Kangaroos' lead-in will likely be more introspective.

"They're a high quality opponent, they played some really good footy on Monday night and have played some pretty good footy over the course of the year," he began.

"But we have to worry more about ourselves, where we are on our journey and what we need to do.

"Four of our last five games have been interstate, and not one of them a 'home game' (in Hobart). That's a pretty tough journey for anyone to have to cope with, let alone a side that didn't perform so well last year."

The Roos now have a block of six games in Melbourne among the next eight, and two trips to their home away from home in southern Tasmania.

Saturday will be their first trip to the home of football since Round 17, 2022, when they were pipped at the post by the Pies.

"We're hoping the MCG, the big occasion and sleeping in our own beds might help us a little bit, but that's not the be-all and end-all," Clarkson pondered.

"We've now got a patch of games in which we'll significantly judge ourselves and the progress we're making."