Tristan Xerri is being managed through the middle of the AFL season as North Melbourne keep half an eye on a finals tilt.
The Kangaroos' No.1 ruckman, one of their most important players, spent plenty of time in attack on Sunday during their 25-point win over Richmond at the MCG.
Instead, Cooper Trembath and second-gamer Taylor Goad took most of the centre ball-ups. Trembath would then immediately go forward, where he returned to form with a decisive haul of four goals, while Xerri did more ruck work around the ground.
With North 7-7 and well in the top-10 hunt, coach Alastair Clarkson said they were being careful with Xerri's workload.
"When you combined all the stoppages with the centre (ball-ups), he's sometimes doing 80 contests a game," Clarkson said of Xerri.
"That's just with the stoppage."
Clarkson was pleased with how they managed the ruck duties on Sunday between Xerri, Trembath and Goad.
"We're just hoping that over the full course of the season, that will have him (Xerri) still playing strong footy at the end of the year - rather than getting later in the year and starting to peter out," Clarkson said.
"He's been a real warrior for us, for a long, long period.
"It's hard because they want to be in there and they want to compete, but it's just like a boxer - you can only take so many hits before it starts to wear you down.
"With his competitiveness, when we really need him, we want him on the ground."
Goad made his AFL debut in last week's win over West Coast, while Jack Darling is another part-time ruck option.
"Young Goady - we might keep him in the side. He's gone two-from-two, the big fella," Clarkson grinned.
