North Melbourne coach Brad Scott says his side made schoolboy errors against Fremantle and believes some of his players need to step up to AFL standard sooner rather than later.

The Kangaroos copped a 73-point hiding at the hands of the Dockers on Saturday night to slump to 4-4 after eight rounds.

Fremantle's trademark pressure suffocated the Kangaroos all night, but while Scott praised the Dockers for their performance he accused his side of playing like schoolboys at times.

"We've got some guys that we need to stand up and start playing an AFL brand of footy," Scott said.

"I thought we were monstered in the contest at times, not across the board, but certainly a few of our guys.

"We just got killed in terms of errors.

"I think we conceded 13 goals from turnovers, and really bad ones. Really soft goals and good sides don't do that.

"We're not in the good side category yet because we are not defending that well enough and producing consistently enough. (It was) just some schoolboy stuff at times.

"But the opposition make you look that way and I thought Fremantle was exceptional tonight."

The Kangaroos were missing some key players on Saturday night including experienced midfielders Andrew Swallow, Daniel Wells and Nick Dal Santo.

But Scott did not want to use that as an excuse for his team's performance.

"We just have to stand up," he said.

"We have done that before. We have done that in good games. We have done that against good opposition. We just need to expose some guys to that level of pressure more often, which we will continue to do. They have to grow up quickly.

"Fremantle didn't make mistakes with ball in hand and we did. I think that was the difference.

"But again it's a cop out to say we just made mistakes. They forced us into error. We just have to continue to work into that pressure."

Scott said he did not know if he would get any players back for the Kangaroos' crucial clash with Collingwood next Sunday afternoon.

Jarrad Waite also aggravated a foot injury during the loss to Fremantle, while ruckman Todd Goldstein copped a stray boot to the head that split his forehead open.

Scott said Goldstein will be fine but Waite will be touch and go for next week.

"It's just a foot, just an aggravation of an old injury," Scott said.

"We'll manage it. He'll either be right next week or he won't.

"He'll either get through the week and be fully fit, or (we'll) leave him out and bring someone else in."