With just three NAB Challenge games before Round 1, like at every club, competition for spots is fierce.

The team size for the NAB Challenge will be 26, with two substitutes. The subs can be reset at half-time while the interchange cap will be set at 130, slightly higher than the regular season mark of 120.

Have your say on North's lineup for the NAB Challenge in the comments below.

Most of the summer focus tends to be around the draftees and Brad Scott gave a strong indication there would be an early sighter for a handful during a Twitter Q&A.

That's not to count out McGenniss, Wallace, Turner and Warren from an early appearance. However there are a few players recovering from off-season injuries and with caution the order of the day so early in the year, they won’t be risked for the first NAB Challenge game.

Ben Brown’s minor ankle injury will mean he spends most of the NAB Challenge ramping up his training loads, while Cameron Delaney and Aaron Mullett are battling toe injuries but are expected to play later in the pre-season.

Leigh Adams won’t be available for selection until the last game according to North’s Director of Football Geoff Walsh, while Andrew Swallow, Majak Daw and Tom Curran are on the comeback trail from their respective long-term injuries.

There are still plenty of players to squeeze into 26 spots.

Starting forward, former Tiger Robin Nahas has been lighting up the training track over the summer. Without Adams in the side, it leaves the final spot in the forward six up for grabs.

Drew Petrie, Robbie Tarrant, Aaron Black and Lindsay Thomas are all first choice for the moment if fit, with Brent Harvey playing the high half-forward role on most occasions. Assuming Adams is treated with caution given his history, it could mean a battle between Nahas and Taylor Garner for the starting spot, with the other starting on the interchange.

Moving into the middle, Nick Dal Santo will be a lock in the best 22. Todd Goldstein is still the number one ruckman but Daniel Currie is hot on his heels, while Jack Ziebell, Ben Cunnington, Daniel Wells and Sam Gibson are all vital parts through the centre of the ground.

In the defensive 50, the key positions are settled but there is a lot of competition for the smaller players. Scott Thompson, Nathan Grima and Lachlan Hansen look to have the inside running to handle the opposition talls.

It's after those three are locked in that it gets interesting. While Scott McMahon endured a disappointing 2013, he is still a valuable member of the team when fit and able to train - something Brad Scott has been pleasantly surprised to see this summer.

It indicates McMahon is very much in the plans as the medium or small defender, while Shaun Atley will probably start one of the back flanks. However there is also the possibility of Atley spending time in the middle, leaving the half back line open for experimentation.

Luke McDonald and Brad McKenzie’s foot skills would be ideal to kick start North’s rebound 50’s and McKenzie in particular would be well acquainted with Eureka Stadium as a member of the North Ballarat VFL side.

That leaves the interchange. Of the six 'starting' spots, Jamie Macmillan and Ryan Bastinac could take two. A starting spot on the interchange shouldn't be read as a demotion - after all, Sam Gibson didn't start on the field for the first time until well into 2013, despite being an undisputed member of North's best team.  Both Macmillan (back, defensive midfielder) and Bastinac’s (midfield, goal kicking forward) ability to play in multiple positions is extremely valuable to the side.

The remaining interchange spots are wide open for conjecture. Ben Jacobs and Taylor Hine would have the inside running after solid 2013’s, while there are also the likes of Daniel Currie, Sam Wright and Kieran Harper to consider. Regardless of who gets to pull on a jumper for North Melbourne’s first game of 2014, the debate over spots is a great sign for the state of the club’s list.

Have your say on North's lineup for the NAB Challenge in the comments below.

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