Majak Daw spent years waiting behind Drew Petrie for his chance to claim his place in the pecking order and now that his moment should have arrived Braydon Preuss has emerged rapidly from nowhere to stake his claim.
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Preuss, the 206-centimetre giant from Queensland who was a latecomer to football from rugby league, was impressive for the Roos on Sunday against Hawthorn booting three goals when forward and sharing the ruck with Todd Goldstein.
"Absolutely he does give us something to think about for round one," North assistant coach Josh Drummond, who was senior coach for the day, said of Preuss.
"He was really strong last week taking the No.1 ruck mantle and today he and Goldy chopped and changed a bit and he played a bit up forward.
"He is one who certainly stepped up. They are both probably No.1 ruck types in that they are genuine ruckmen but he gives us something to think about up forward as well."
Preuss was a presence in the ruck but also created a good target forward finishing with three goals. Two of those goals were from good strong marks while for the other he picked the ball up from his toes on the run.
He was moved under the ball once by James Sicily who was smarter with his body use but later held his ground well against Luke Hodge to mark.
What it means for Daw and the option of alternating multiple ruck forwards would be down to form, Drummond said. "It's a forever evolving process that. Maj has shown he can do that and he had a terrific finish to the year last year ... It just creates another option for us which is great to have."
Before 3981 people in the quaintly retro Arden Street oval, ex-Bulldog Nathan Hrovat had zip about the forward line, booting a couple of goals and working hard up and down the ground.
Trent Dumont looks likely to become one to fill the void of the retiring veterans. Mitchell Hibberd, Ed Vickers-Willis and Corey Wagner did well among the young players.
Cam Zurhaar kicked a nice goal with a spin and a clever step out of traffic and Marley Williams offered them creative attacking run from half-back even if some of those forays were turned over and hurt on the rebound from loose delivery.
Sam Durdin did well at centre half-back and Luke McDonald had poise and clever use of the ball.
Meanwhile, Ben Jacobs has reinjured the same foot that was hurt early last season, again fracturing the fifth metatarsal of his right foot in training on Friday.
He will have surgery in the hope of preventing another recurrence, and is set to miss between six and eight weeks.
