There was no shortage of players putting their hand up for Round 1 as North Melbourne continued its pre-season with another match simulation session at La Trobe Sports Park on Friday morning.

Compared to last week’s corresponding match sim where teams were evenly split, there was a much stronger 'Blue' line-up featuring plenty of AFL regulars, while the 'Yellow' side was mostly supplemented by VFL players.

The match sim took place in windy conditions and was broken into four 20-minute periods which featured 90-second breathers within each block in a full field 18-on-18 hitout.

The Blue team’s followers featured usual suspects co-captain Jy Simpkin (one goal) and Luke Davies-Uniacke, while George Wardlaw’s first full pre-season is clearly paying massive dividends as he stood out in a strong showing – not just because he was wearing a cap.

Wardlaw looked right at home in the middle of the field and his toughness was on show after being on the end of a bruising Charlie Comben hit, getting up without a fuss and continuing on.

Comben played as a key back for Yellow and didn’t look out of place in his new role before running laps with Luke McDonald, Zac Fisher and Taylor Goad, who were on their own rehab programs and didn’t take part in the match sim.

Charlie Lazzaro caught the eye all morning and also found himself in the centre square for Blue in periods, navigating traffic to help set up Paul Curtis for a goal after he had a number of half-chances throughout.

Tom Powell was a clear standout for Yellow, dominating in midfield against the stronger Blue engine room, finding plenty of the footy and kicking a great banana goal on the run early in the final term to cap off a solid performance.

He was ably supported by Will Phillips who won the first clearance of the game bursting through the centre, and who will also be pushing for a regular spot in a very strong Kangaroos midfield brigade.

Former Tiger Bigoa Nyuon found himself as Blue’s most lively key defender early, cutting off a Powell inside 50 with a great contested mark. He impressed throughout the contest and looms as a potential starter against the GWS Giants when official action gets underway, as did Kallan Dawson who was also solid and saved a certain goal with a desperate defensive spoil.

Toby Pink was on the Yellow side and did some good things under fire and shapes as another new tall defensive option for the Roos, while draftee Wil Dawson also showed glimpses in defensive 50.

Last week’s four-goal hero Zane Duursma almost picked up where he left off but saw his early snap go wide. He still finished with two majors which included a great one-two with Cam Zurhaar in traffic which ended with the draftee nailing a banana goal on the run.

Zurhaar played mostly forward and prematurely celebrated a booming shot which was adjudged a very close behind, while he also played bursts through the centre square which was highlighted with an impressive clearance in the third term.

While Duursma is pencilled in for an early AFL debut, Colby McKercher’s spot in the line-up is virtually written in ink.

McKercher dazzled off half-back and left fans applauding the moment of the match when he took a couple of bounces and charged through the guts to set up Jaidyn Stephenson with yet another precision left-foot pass. The latter finished the session with three goals.

Callum Coleman-Jones looked solid in the ruck in Tristan Xerri’s absence following cheekbone surgery and took the honours against Hamish Free in what was a great battle all day.

Bailey Scott impressed at half-back for Blue, while Dylan Stephens got better the longer the hitout went on a wing with his superior running capabilities on show.

Versatile X-factor rookie Finnbar Maley nearly took a screamer down back and found himself pinch-hitting in the ruck and competing strongly up forward.

Hugh Greenwood also almost took another hanger at the other end, looking good in a new role inside attacking 50.

Blake Drury finished strongly for Yellow with two fourth-quarter goals, with his second coming after some unselfish play from Cooper Harvey who dished off a pass instead of taking his set shot.

Brayden George was on managed minutes in his first proper hitout but his day finished slightly earlier than expected after copping a knock, but he played most of the first half in defence.

The Kangaroos will be back at La Trobe Sports Park for training next Monday and Wednesday from 9.30am.

SQUADS

Blue: K.Dawson, Nyuon, Goater, Scott, McKercher, Bergman, Stephens, Coleman-Jones, Wardlaw, Davies-Uniacke, Simpkin, Tucker, Duursma, Lazzaro, Stephenson, Zurhaar, Curtis, Larkey, Sheezel, Greenwood

Yellow: Sellers (VFL), Harrop (VFL), Maley, Hansen, Drury, Harvey, De La Rue (VFL), Free, Phillips, Powell, Watkins (VFL), Downie (VFL), George, Hardeman, Huggard (VFL), W.Dawson, Comben, Pink, Smith (VFL), Lord (VFL), Cappellari (VFL), Murphy (VFL), Taylor, Lienert (VFL)

Unavailable: Corr (ankle), McDonald (hamstring), Archer (groin soreness), Ford (ankle), Logue (knee), Goad (conditioning), Thomas (groin soreness), Shiels (illness), Fisher (hamstring), Xerri (cheekbone)