NORTH Melbourne has shown its faith in midfielder Oscar Junker, offering the first-year rookie a new one-year contract despite his injury-ravaged first season.

Junker was recruited via pick No.28 in last year's NAB AFL Rookie Draft, but his time at Arden St got off to a bad start when he broke his tibia in a pre-season practice match against Werribee in early February.

The former Western Jets co-captain's return date remains indefinite, but he received some good news recently when North approached him about re-signing for 2018.

"I was a bit worried earlier on about where I was at, but I got a message from my manager saying he'd spoken to the club and they were keen to do the deal nice and early to make sure I didn't feel like I was being left in the dark. It was a really great gesture by North to do that," Junker said.

"I'm super happy that the club has the faith in me to continue my career here. It's been awesome."

The tall midfielder is a versatile player whose character and leadership qualities were highly rated in the TAC Cup.

At 193cm and 84kg, he was always going to need time to get his body ready for AFL football, but North was impressed by his pre-season before his injury.

"Unfortunately we haven't seen a lot of Oscar because of his injury, but from what we have seen and know of him, we didn't hesitate in offering him a new one-year deal as a rookie," North football manager Cameron Joyce said.

Junker has not given up hope of playing before the end of the season.

"I'm going well now. Another three or four weeks and I should be close to playing," he said.