North Melbourne coach Brad Scott wants Lachie Hansen fit and ready to go for a possible recall for Friday night's preliminary final against Sydney.
Hansen's fellow key defender Joel Tippett, who has played only six AFL games including four this season, is also a chance to return to North's side.
The alternative, to stick with the same backline, could stretch the Kangaroos to breaking point.
While North qualified in sixth place for the finals series and will be underdogs against the minor premiers at ANZ Stadium, they can boast a victory over the Swans in the previous meeting in round four at the SCG.
All-Australian fullback Scott Thompson held 2014 Coleman Medallist Lance Franklin to a tally of 0.1 in wet conditions, which are forecast again this week in Sydney.
However a quick look at the heights and weights of the Swans' big forwards gives an indication of the man mountains the Kangaroos must stop and the need to consider reinforcements.
Melbourne great Garry Lyon says Thompson has to go to Franklin again, while Nathan Grima is a likely match-up for 201cm Kurt Tippett.
"It's going to be difficult for Scotty Thompson to do the old `peel off intercept' stuff because he's going to have his hands full," Lyon told the AFL's website on Monday.
Lyon says Michael Firrito could play on the taller Sam Reid, while Adam Goodes is also a potential headache for the Kangaroos' defence.
"Goodes then becomes a floater who I think you have to trust to one of the medium-sized defenders, whether it's Sam Wright, Shaun Atley or even Luke McDonald," Lyon said.
North's skipper Andrew Swallow says Hansen's hip problem, which has kept him out for two matches, is improving.
"He was doing some work over the weekend," Swallow told reporters on Monday.
"I spoke to him yesterday and he said he's feeling good. But he hasn't played footy for a while now.
"Having him there to drop off and take some contested marks and really take the pressure off the backs, it would be great to have him there.
"We've still got Joel Tippett there who has been training really well.
"The coach has been looking at him. He was pretty close even for the Essendon game (elimination final on September 6)."
SYDNEY'S TOWERS OF STRENGTH UP FORWARD
* Lance Franklin 198cm/102kg, 70 goals
(Possible opponent Scott Thompson 193cm/93kg)
* Kurt Tippett 201cm 105kg, 29 goals
(Possible opponent Nathan Grima 192cm/94kg)
* Adam Goodes 191cm/100kg, 25 goals
(Possible opponent Sam Wright 188cm/85kg)
* Sam Reid 196cm/95kg, 17 goals
(Possible opponent Michael Firrito 189cm/93kg)
* North's potential call-ups to bolster their backline: Joel Tippett (brother of Kurt) 196cm/94kg, Lachie Hansen 197cm/98kg
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