Second-year North Melbourne tall Wil Dawson could be the reinforcement required to help the Roos' front third in the coming weeks, with the former first-round pick putting in a strong shift in the VFL on Friday.
Positioned in attack against ex-teammate Tyler Sellers, who was moved to defence after Lewis Hayes was pulled from Essendon's VFL side, Dawson was the spearhead in coach Tom Lynch's side.
The teenager was a commanding presence in the first half, booting two first quarter goals and having four scoring shots before the main break.
A clean set shot from the right forward pocket boundary line was a highlight for the Gippsland Power product, who can play at either end of the field.
Dawson ended his afternoon with three goals from 13 disposals, seven marks (three contested) and four score involvements as the Roos notched up a 10-point victory at Windy Hill.
The promising performance comes as North Melbourne look to experiment with their front-half options to support Nick Larkey at AFL level.
Veteran recruit Jack Darling has managed seven goals in hs eight games in the blue and white stripes, booting just one goal in his past three outings.
Larkey has again led the way, kicking 20 majors for the year so far, while suspended livewire Paul Curtis has been a standout with 18 goals as a medium-sized target.
The second-string key forward position is an area the Kangaroos have continued to search for consistency in, hoping the arrival of Darling is the needed stop-gap and mentor for the club's younger ranks in Dawson and Finnbar Maley.
Maley was handed his first game on Thursday night against Essendon and showed signs, with the strong-marking 197cm talent booting a goal and getting himself in a position to potentially win the game for Alastair Clarkson's side in his maiden match.
Dawson has three senior games to his name since being drafted in 2023, however his most recent appearance - a Round 13 bout with West Coast - lasted just 13 minutes due to a shoulder injury.
The setback would eventually require surgery in the off-season, delaying his preparations for 2025 and putting him behind the eight ball ahead of his second season at Arden Street.
Dawson's first two games showed the needed signs as a key defender, with the young Roo's versatility allowing him to play at either end of the field.
The Kangaroos have a long queue of tall backmen, which has been evident over the past two weeks as Griffin Logue and Aidan Corr made way at selection for Kallan Dawson, while Jackson Archer and Riley Hardeman also boosted Clarkson's backline.
The line for forward spots isn't as busy, with Larkey, Darling and Maley the other key forward options, while Pink, Logue and Charlie Comben can also be utilised as swingmen.
Both Logue and Corr featured in Friday's VFL game in defence, with fellow backman Toby Pink strong with 10 intercept possessions.
Young forward Cooper Harvey put his name forward for a recall with 16 disposals, seven score involvements, 11 contested possessions, three tackles inside 50 and two goals against Essendon's reserves.
