North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson has revealed Kangaroos captain Nick Larkey has been dealing with a niggling knee issue.
After a hot start to the season with 10 goals from his first two games, Larkey has added just one in the past two weeks.
It has prompted criticism from North Melbourne premiership hero David King as the Kangaroos (4-5) come closer to claiming a top-eight scalp.
Larkey failed to kick a goal in last week's narrow loss to ladder-leading Sydney.
"There's been times in the last five years, if Nick Larkey doesn't kick six, we're just absolutely no chance of winning," Clarkson said on Thursday.
"Sydney came out of the game saying 'I'm glad we kicked straight, and perhaps a little bit fortunate that North didn't', because we played some really good footy.
"I'm pleased that we haven't got as much of a reliance on Nick in terms of our goal-scoring power.
"But at some point in time, he's too good a player to stay down for too long.
"He's been carrying a little bit of a niggle, and he'll come good, and we'll be better for it."
Larkey missed four games at the end of last season with a knee injury, then landed awkwardly on the same leg during pre-season training in December.
"He just hasn't been as confident with the knee," Clarkson said.
"He's fine. At different stages it grumbles a little bit, which PCL injuries have a tendency to do.
"At some point in time, he's going to get back to the Nick Larkey form that we know."
North travel to the Adelaide Oval for a clash with the Crows on Saturday, aiming to snap a three-game losing streak.
