Daniel Wells is all but certain to be sidelined for at least another week with North Melbourne coach Brad Scott unsure when his star midfielder will be fit to return from an Achilles tendon injury.
Scott was more optimistic about Lachie Hansen's chances of returning for his first game of the season against Hawthorn this Saturday night after the key defender's long recovery from surgery on both of his hips, and said decisions would be made on Luke McDonald (leg) and Jamie Macmillan (Achilles) after North's main training session.
But the North coach was less bullish on Wells’ chances when he spoke with reporters on Thursday.
"I'm doubtful on Daniel Wells purely because he doesn't feel perfect right now," Scott said.
"Some players play a style of footy that enables them to play with some injuries that perhaps they can get through a game with but still perform somewhere around their normal role – those players are like tractors they get out and they just get the job done.
"But Daniel Wells isn't a tractor, he's a Rolls Royce, so we need him at his absolute best to be able to play his best and I refuse to send Wellsy out, who's a really important part of our team, when he's below his best.
"We all expect his best and if he can't produce it then it's unfair on him and it doesn't help the team."
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Wells has been sidelined since he was substituted out of the Roos' round-two win over the Brisbane Lions at half-time.
Scott said with tendon injuries like Wells' it was hard to tell when a player would return.
"Tendons are always a challenge. In terms of his injury, it's how long is a piece of string," Scott said.
"That's the case with a lot of players with tendon injuries, Andrew Swallow was the same.
"It will be what it will be. When he's right to train fully then he'll play."
Hansen played his first game since round 23 last year when he played the final three quarters of Werribee's VFL clash with North Ballarat last Saturday.
Scott said Hansen was a "chance" to return against the Hawks.
"He pulled up really well from his (VFL) game last week and played well," Scott said.
"Again (he's) a really important part of our side but we've just got to do some further analysis on how much work he's actually done and (decide) whether we think he can perform at his best for four quarters."
Like North, Hawthorn sits 2-2 after rounds, the reigning premier having lowered its colours to Port Adelaide by eight points last Saturday night after conceding seven straight goals in the first 17 minutes.
Scott said Hawthorn had been "really good" after Port's fast start and he expected it to produce a four-quarter performance at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.
The Hawks will take on the Roos without two of their best key defenders, with Brian Lake (knee) joining James Frawley (pectoral) on the sidelines last week.
But Scott said North would not focus on exploiting the Hawks' undermanned defence, knowing they had still had defenders such as Josh Gibson, Ben Stratton and Ryan Schoenmakers who were capable of curbing Drew Petrie, Jarrad Waite and Ben Brown.
"I think if we go in with a game plan of just trying to exploit their tall backs that will backfire on us," Scott said.
"The challenge will be containing their good players around the midfield more than exploiting their key backs."
