These are the life and times of Robin Nahas, who at 27 is entering his seventh season teetering on the tightrope of an AFL career.

Fleet of foot and tenacious, the small forward has gamely shrugged off his professional death knell year after year and 2015 can be no different.

"I've been there before. I understand what it takes. Every year is do or die. I know unless I'm playing good football, I'm probably not going to be here next year," Nahas said last week.

Last season — during his first year at North Melbourne — a solid patch of form was halted by what was a new challenge for the former Richmond player, a serious shoulder injury sustained against Melbourne in round 14, which ended a promising run of six straight games.

"It was my first major injury. I've never missed any football through injury at senior level. It was a bit different. I wasn't too sure how to take it."

The 91-gamer attacked the setback in the same way he pounces on panicking defenders close to goal. Sensing a possible September return, Nahas set himself the task of working his way back into the surging Roos side, doing enough to play in the final VFL game of the season. It wasn't enough, and just like when form meant he was overlooked at the Tigers in 2013, Nahas was left to watch from the sidelines as his team played finals football.

When North culled him on the day of the first list lodgment deadline, it looked on the outside like 73-kilogram Nahas may have punched above his weight for the final time. Out of contract, he did not seem to be an obvious re-rookie option.

Just over a month later though, Nahas was granted a reprieve. While some may have been surprised, the man himself believed he would get another shot.

"It was just a matter of being on the senior list or the rookie list," he said. "I trusted them and they were true to their word."

Unlisted, he returned for one session of pre-season training before being picked up in the rookie draft.

Even the pre-season has not been simple. Nahas' body has not been entirely loyal and a knee to the ribs in a heated training session a fortnight ago forced the postponement of media commitments and, more importantly, threatened to delay his return to the North line-up.

He resumed full contact work midway through last week, just in time to be named in the squad for Sunday's NAB Challenge game against Adelaide in Port Lincoln.

Inauspicious though it may be, it is a keenly anticipated milestone for the former Port Melbourne player.

"I just can't wait to play footy again, it's been a while."

Despite the obvious handicap of a demotion and the emergence of similarly pocket-sized wunderkind Kayne Turner in his position, Nahas is confident he can work his way back into the Roos side and break his finals drought.

"I've been in this position before. My first year I got drafted I was a rookie. I got delisted. Last year I was on a one-year contract and I'm in the same position as I was last year."

The message from coach Brad Scott, is simple.

"Nothing different to last year. I know my game is built around defensive pressure. Offensively he's not too worried about how I go, but I've got to set the tone defensively. That's got to be somewhere where I excel and probably be No.1 in the team – my forward pressure."

Might there just be another promotion left in the story?