GRAND Final heartbreak looms for at least one North Melbourne player this week, with the toughest of selection decisions facing coach Darren Crocker.

Hard-nosed midfielder Mia King has missed the past five matches due to a PCL injury and was a test for selection last week against Melbourne.

She ultimately missed out and will need to tick off all medical and strength markers at training this week if she is to be declared available for selection.

A fully fit King would be a walk-up start in North Melbourne's best 21, but it would be an enormous ask for the 24-year-old to jump straight into a Grand Final after an extended break on the sidelines.

Brisbane successfully gambled on Lachie Neale in the men's Grand Final earlier this year after he had similarly faced a fitness test in the days leading up to the game. But the dual Brownlow medallist had missed only two games with his calf injury instead of five, and sat on the bench for more than half of the decider as the substitute, a mechanism that is not available in the AFLW.

If King is included, a midfielder or defender is likely to be the one to make way, given the ability of Tess Craven or Eilish Sheerin to fold back into a half-back role.

It leaves Crocker facing a tough call between backing King to play and leaving out an incumbent, likely Eliza Shannon, or picking an unchanged side and leaving King to watch the game from the stands.

Shannon was the heartbreak story of last year when she was omitted for the return of Emma Kearney ahead of the preliminary final before North took an unchanged side into the decider for the second year in a row.

Key back Tessa Boyd was omitted last weekend to make room for Sheerin, who had recovered from her hamstring injury.

Aside from Nicole Bresnehan (ACL) and Sarah Wright (personal leave), the Roos have 28 fit players from which to choose for Saturday night's decider.

Brisbane got through its preliminary final against Carlton unscathed, and has a full list of 30 available.