NORTH Melbourne will consider resting players over the next two weeks, given the Roos have all but assured themselves of a minor premiership.
It would take two calamitous losses to St Kilda and Hawthorn for North Melbourne to lose hosting rights for a qualifying final, and a trip to Hobart – coupled with a five-day break into the round 12 clash – means the Roos are looking long-term.
The final stages of North Melbourne's 40-point win over Adelaide saw a targeted group of veterans in Kate Shierlaw, Emma Kearney, Jas Garner, Jenna Bruton and ruck Kim Rennie benched for the last 6-8 minutes of the game.
"We'll look at [resting players]. We've got the tricky round 11 and round 12, five-day break with the travel down to Tasmania, so that's a tricky little one for us," coach Darren Crocker said.
"We’ll look at the loads and who we feel needs to play both, maybe players that might need to only play one of those two games. Or if we manage them in-game as well, their time within the game.
"We've started having those conversations, but they'll accelerate over the next few days."
In the absence of Mia King (knee, another 2-3 weeks), the Roos used the opportunity to roll Bella Eddey and Vikki Wall through the midfield.
"We have had a few bumps this year, with players who have had to miss a few games," Crocker said.
"But what that's done is give a great opportunity for other players to be able to come in and either get games at AFLW level, which may not have come about [without] those injuries, or go and play in their secondary position that they may have had a bit of exposure to – but there's nothing like being able to throw them into the cut and thrust of a game and play those roles.
"Bella went in through the midfield today for a lot of the time, Vikki had some centre bounces a little bit late. Jenna Bruton was up on a wing, she's played there before, but over the last season or two, she has played as a small forward. So throwing the team around, which has been a good opportunity for us."
Roos' lowest time on ground v Adelaide
- Jenna Bruton, 61 per cent
- Bella Eddey, 61 per cent
- Emma Kearney, 66 per cent
- Amy Smith, 70 per cent
- Kim Rennie, 71 per cent
Roos' highest time on ground v Adelaide
- Jasmine Ferguson, 100 per cent
- Libby Birch, 100 per cent
- Ash Riddell, 85 per cent
- Ruby Tripodi, 80 per cent
- Erika O'Shea, 80 per cent
