North's scoring average has dropped by 20 points a game this season – from 104.9 points in 2013 to 84 in 2014 – and, not surprisingly, the output of its forward-line mainstays has dried up.
Thomas has been North's most-consistent forward in 2014 and leads the club's goalkicking by seven goals with 19, but after nine games last year he had already kicked 30 goals.
Veteran key forward Drew Petrie, in particular, has struggled this year, kicking just 10 goals from North's first nine games, down from 19 goals at the same stage last year.
Aaron Black has fared only marginally better with 12 goals, having kicked 18 in his first nine games in 2013.
Roos coach Brad Scott conceded earlier this month that in seeking to shore up the Roos' defence this year he might have "overcorrected" his game plan.
And that has almost certainly been a contributing factor in his forwards' struggles, with the Roos entering their forward 50 3.5 fewer times a game this year (47.7 down from 51.2 in 2013).
Thomas, however, is not concerned about the Roos' declining scoring power this year and is confident their forward line will return to its best soon.
"Our forwards, we're slowly getting our form back so we'll just continue working hard on the track and I'm sure it will come in the next couple of weeks," Thomas said.
"I think the big guys out there – Drew Petrie, Majak Daw and Aaron Black – they're all starting to find some form and a lot of our midfielders are hitting the scoreboard as well.
"We'll keep on improving on the track and I'm sure it will come for us soon."
North's forward line has improved in at least one respect this year, with former Tiger Robbie Nahas adding valuable pace and defensive pressure in the four games that he's played, particularly in the past two rounds.
Thomas is excited to be playing alongside Nahas, saying his fellow small forward has taken the pressure off him to set the defensive tone in North's forward 50.
"When I'm doing all the pressuring and all the tackling I can look over my shoulder and I know Rob's there as well and it's not all just up to me," Thomas says.
"Obviously, our big guys do a good job, but to have Robbie in the side as well it really does help.
"He's really worked his backside off over the pre-season and he didn't start in the team at the start of the year, but he's worked his way in, he's earned the respect of the group and he's doing a really good job."
Thomas, 26, is reasonably happy with his own form this year, but is a hard taskmaster.
After being gripped by one of the worst cases of goalkicking yips the game has seen in 2011, Thomas is now North's most reliable set shot for goal.
There is a simple explanation for that transformation – hard work on the training track.
And Thomas is still working hard to improve other areas of his game.
"I'm happy with the way that everything's going, but for me personally there's still a lot of (room for) improvement," he says.
"I know I've got to keep on working hard and there's a lot of stuff that I have to fix in my game that I'm working on on the track.
"So I'll just keep going and hopefully I can finish off the season strongly."
