Cruize Garlett was the talk of Aegis Park during the early stages of the pre-season. The midfielder returned from the break in super shape having shed several kilos from his frame and was running like never before due to a dramatically improved fitness base.

But he fell off the radar soon after returning from Utah after being withdrawn from the intra-club match in Ballarat and not appearing in the NAB Cup opener.

kangaroos.com.au can reveal a back injury was the reason for him missing in action.

"My back seized up a number of weeks ago. I've had a bit of a bulging disc problem previously so I cramped up on that side and had a back spasm which put me out for a couple of weeks," Garlett explained.

"I bent down and went to intercept a ball from Sam Wright during a practice match here a couple of weeks ago. As I went down the back seized up and I couldn't walk properly so I had to make my way off the field somehow."

Although seemingly innocuous, North’s medical team took every precaution and opted to keep Garlett out of any full contact training until things settled down. While his layoff was quite short in the overall scheme of things, the timing of the injury wasn’t ideal.

But the inside midfielder says he isn’t too far behind the rest of the pack.

"As I've come back out and started running I feel pretty good so I haven't lost too much fitness and the rest should come back pretty quickly."

The worst of the injury is now behind him and Garlett has resumed training with the main group. In the short term his goals are to get back out onto the field with VFL affiliate North Ballarat.

But before Round 1 against Essendon arrives on March 31, he’s aiming to be in prime condition and available for selection.

"I'm just trying to get a game anywhere at the moment. I haven't played too much footy during the pre-season apart from a couple of small quarters on the track. So a full game to see where I am at with my fitness is what I'm aiming for in the next couple of weeks."