North Melbourne football boss Cameron Joyce is preparing for the likelihood of rivals trying to prise away contracted ruckmen Todd Goldstein and Braydon Preuss.
Preuss' emergence in the 2017 pre-season, combined with Goldstein's form and personal struggles, saw their positional battle become a weekly discussion point in the media.
That chatter has quietened this year because of Goldstein's return to somewhere near his best form, but Preuss has bounced back from a slowish start to again be in the selection frame.
But the Roos have so far resisted the temptation to play two ruckmen in 2018, something West Coast, Brisbane, Hawthorn, Collingwood and Carlton have done at least on occasion.
It means Preuss, 23, has not added to his eight matches from last season despite his stellar VFL form.
Goldstein, 30, is contracted until the end of 2019, while Preuss signed a two-year contract extension in October last year that ties him to Arden St until 2020.
"It's probably been one of the most talked about things for our footy club for the last 18 months, the whole Goldy-Preuss (scenario)," Joyce told AFL.com.au.
"We'd be silly to think clubs aren't at least keeping one eye open on what's happening with both of them.
"But at the same time, they're both contracted and we're very happy to have both of them on our list, so there's no issue with that at all."
Goldstein, the 2015 All Australian ruckman, is fresh from one of his best performances of the year against in-form Swan Callum Sinclair.
That came barely a week after Preuss told AFL.com.au he was "pissed off" about his lack of senior opportunities, but understood his place in the pecking order.
"He's desperate to play, Braydon, and his last three weeks, in particular, have been excellent in the VFL," Joyce said.
"It's a dilemma, but it's also a positive that we've got both of them in really good form.
"How that plays out down the track is going to be interesting … but it is somewhat a luxury to have a second ruckman in such good form and that we're prepared to play if anything happened to Todd."
In a wide-ranging interview that will appear on NMFC.com.au on Saturday, Joyce also discussed:
- The future for out-of-contract veterans Scott Thompson and Jarrad Waite
- Tarryn Thomas, father-son prospects Bailey Scott and Joel Crocker and North's other Next Generation Academy options
- Josh Kelly and North Melbourne's pursuit for a star recruit
- Taylor Garner's frustrating season with injury
- How many 'A-graders' North has
- Where the Roos were placed for short and long-term success
