EMERGING North Melbourne defender Ed Vickers-Willis has suffered another injury blow with a knee injury expected to sideline him for up to eight weeks.

North revealed on Tuesday afternoon Vickers-Willis had injured his posterior cruciate ligament in the club's round 11 loss to Richmond and would be in a knee brace for the next three weeks.

"No surgical intervention is needed but we anticipate a stint on the sidelines (for Vickers-Willis) of between six to eight weeks," North senior performance consultant Steve Saunders said.

Meanwhile, the long-awaited return of experienced defender Sam Wright (foot) has been delayed, while Ben Jacobs (lower leg) faces another stint on the sidelines after suffering an injury in the VFL. 

Wright had been on track to return in the VFL this weekend but is now not expected to play for another two to three weeks, while Jacobs is set to miss two weeks.

"Sam is training now and responded well to his last procedure but the rate of progression in the last fortnight suggests he still needs a few more weeks of rehabilitation and strength work," Saunders said. 

"Ben had played two full games in the VFL and was tracking nicely. He sustained a severe contusion to a tendon in his lower leg in the third game. 

"This pain is unrelated to his (foot) stress fracture but something we need to manage conservatively given that it is a contusion to the same leg and an associated weakness that may change his gait." 

Vickers-Willis has been one of North's most promising youngsters in 2017.

The third-year defender finally made his AFL debut in round five this season – shoulder injuries disrupted the start of his career at Arden Street – and held his spot up until North's round 12 bye, averaging 13.7 possessions and 3.1 tackles a game. 

The 21-year-old's injury could open the door for one of his fellow 2014 draftees Sam Durdin and Daniel Nielson to come into the Kangaroos' team for Friday night's clash against St Kilda.

Durdin made his debut in round three this season and returned for a second game in round eight, but Nielson has yet to play a senior match.