TAYLOR Garner faces the prospect of not playing a senior game for North Melbourne this year because of the recurrence of a left hamstring injury.

The 24-year-old, who played a career-high 18 of his 34 AFL games last year, had already suffered two previous hamstring setbacks in 2018, but it is not a new problem.

Garner missed the entire 2014 season with hamstring woes and his following two years were plagued by the same issue.

His latest hamstring problem occurred late in the Roos' 100-point VFL loss to Geelong at GMHBA Stadium on June 9, after only coming onto the field for the second half.

"He experienced some tightness in his hamstring with pretty much the last kick of the game before the final siren," North football boss Cameron Joyce said.

"He'd played really well up until that point and it's very disappointing and frustrating for him, and also the club.

"We'll take as much time as required to ensure that he can get over this hurdle and return to football for a long, sustained run."

Garner was also nursed through the pre-season with hip and groin injuries.

Another Roo who's had a nightmare run, Declan Mountford, has re-injured his hamstring, after ankle and hamstring issues sidelined him for five weeks earlier in the season.

Mountford, who is out of contract at the end of the year, played 12 games for North Melbourne in 2017.

Jed Anderson (hamstring) and Jarrad Waite (calf), a late withdrawal before the Kangas' 54-point win over Brisbane, will have to pass fitness tests to return from one- and two-game respective absences.

They had extra time to recover with last week's bye and are in line to return against the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.

"It's a matter of assessing their functionality at training this week before we make a decision on their availability," Joyce said.

"We'll monitor them both very closely."

Captain Jack Ziebell is also expected to play after cutting his knees running into the LED fence at GMHBA Stadium a fortnight ago.