TRENT Dumont was the last name Brad Scott expected to hear when told that one of his players had been involved in an early morning off-field incident late last year.

 

Dumont, 19, and a 19-year-old man from the Adelaide suburb of Para Vista were charged with aggravated robbery following an incident involving a cab driver in Adelaide in the early hours of Sunday, October 12.

 

Police have indicated the cab driver was not injured in the incident.

 

Dumont appeared in the Holden Hill Magistrates Court on November 24, when he was not required to enter a plea, and his case will now be heard in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on March 19.

 

Scott told AFL.com.au he expected Dumont to bounce back from the "very out-of-character" incident, nominating the inside midfielder as one of the Roos who could help cover Levi Greenwood's departure to Collingwood.

 

"It was a wake-up call for Trent," Scott said.

 

"Because if I got the call from (North football director) Geoff Walsh saying that one of our players had been involved in an early-morning incident Trent would have been about 44th or 45th on my list of the players who (I thought) would have been involved in something like that.

 

"Generally, he's a really hard-working guy and I think we'll see him play senior footy this year."

 

 

Scott said Dumont had not put a foot wrong since returning to Arden Street for pre-season training and if fit would play in the NAB Challenge.

 

"His preparation going back to the Utah camp (in November) has been outstanding," Scott said.

 

"While we only took 13 players over there, he was certainly a standout. He trained really hard and barring mishap will play in the NAB Challenge."

 

North opens its NAB Challenge campaign against Adelaide on March 1 in Port Lincoln, then plays Hawthorn in Shepparton on March 7 and Richmond on March 21 at Etihad Stadium.

 

Dumont was drafted by North with pick No. 30 in the 2013 NAB AFL Draft after starring for Norwood in its SANFL Grand Final win that year.

 

Although he could not force his way into North's senior team last season, Dumont had an outstanding year in the VFL with North Ballarat.

 

The South Australian was named in the Roosters' best players in nine of his 17 games last year, averaging 24.7 possessions a match.