Can't view the video? Watch on YouTube

NORTH Melbourne tall Hamish McIntosh will resume in the VFL this weekend after being sidelined with a knee injury since round seven, Kangaroos coach Brad Scott says.

McIntosh wore strapping on his right knee at North training on Wednesday and appeared to run with a slight limp.

But Scott said McIntosh would play at least 50 per cent of Werribee's VFL match this weekend.

PRESS PLAY above to watch press conference | YouTube

However, Scott made it clear McIntosh would face stiff competition to break back in North's senior team once he regained match fitness, again suggesting his future lay as a forward rather than as a ruckman.

"He's been a little bit longer than we anticipated, [he] just [had] one minor hiccup along the way," Scott said at Aegis Park on Wednesday.

"But it's great to have him back. He's been training for a while, so match fitness shouldn't be too much of an issue.

Asked if McIntosh would come straight back into North's team when fit, Scott said it would depend on how his form stacked up against North's glut of key forwards.

"We're really fortunate at the moment that we've got a lot of players to pick from, and particularly big guys," Scott said.

"Cam Pedersen has been in the selection mix every week this year. It's just been really difficult for him to force his way in.

"When you look at Ben Warren, Ben McKinley kicking goals every week as key forwards … Aaron Edwards doing the same [and] Aaron Black is, we think, an AFL-standard player and we're keen to get him in the side.

"So McIntosh has just added to that mix. It puts a lot of pressure on the match committee and good pressure on our forward line that's functioning pretty well at the moment."

Scott said such depth and North's remarkable run with injury this year had presented a mental challenge for players stuck in the VFL despite outstanding form.

"There are players who are desperate for an opportunity and it is character building … when you're playing really good footy that is capable of cutting it at AFL level that can be incredibly frustrating," Scott said.

However, Scott said with North's VFL players approaching each training session as an opportunity to push their cases for senior selection, the quality and intensity of North's training had improved.

Meanwhile, Scott said suspended midfielder Jack Ziebell was "loving" his high-altitude training trip to Utah and had been training hard.

Ziebell has been accompanied on the trip by North's first-round selection in last year's NAB AFL Draft, Brad McKenzie.

Scott said McKenzie had been sent to Utah in the hope of fast-tracking his fitness.

"Brad's a really good natural footballer. He'd be arguably the best kick in the footy club at the moment - 'Wellsy' (Daniel Wells) might argue with that a little bit - but we just need to develop him physically," Scott said.

Can't view the video? Watch on YouTube

Nick Bowen covers North Melbourne news for AFL.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_Nick

Test of strength with the strength and conditioning coach

Flying for a mark

Back in the pack

McIntosh talks to the director of sports science and conditioning, Pete Mulkearns