North Melbourne captain Jack Ziebell believes you'd be a "brave man" to bet against Majak Daw returning to the AFL.
Daw is on the cusp of an emotional return to football through the VFL, after suffering hip and pelvic fractures last December when he fell from Melbourne's Bolte Bridge.
Ziebell said his Kangaroos teammate would play on Sunday if he gets through training this week and backed the defender to eventually get back to the AFL.
"You'd be a brave man to tell him he won't, and that's been his goal from the start. Understanding how much drive he's got, when he wants something he's going to get it," Ziebell said.
"It's been incredible to watch Maj go through all his rehab and to see how how determined he is and how much hard work he has put in.
"Maj has always been strong and he's probably around about the best shape he's been, physically.
"He's good and full of energy. He has to get through training on Thursday and if he does that he'll play a small piece of the (VFL) game on Sunday
"It's awesome for Maj, he's obviously been through a fair bit over the last six to 12 months.
"To see him get a bit of reward and back out there playing football, it brings a smile to everyone's face in the footy community."
North are flying after an impressive win against last year's beaten grand finalist Collingwood and face St Kilda in Hobart on Sunday.
Kangaroos' caretaker coach Rhyce Shaw will look to improve his record to 4-1 and move within striking distance of the top eight.
"As a playing group and footy club we've been under no illusions what we've been capable of," Ziebell said.
"It was disappointing the way we started the year, we couldn't put it together but it's nice to be able to play how we did on the weekend and our challenge moving forward is that consistency.
"This year is the most even the competition (has been). The games you would pencil in for a win at the start of the year, they're not pencilled in anymore.
"So for us to look any further than this week would be our downfall, we've got St Kilda and they're playing some unreal football."
