Tristan Xerri is being managed through the middle of the AFL season as North Melbourne keep half an eye on a finals tilt.
The Kangaroos' No.1 ruckman, one of their most important players, spent plenty of time in attack on Sunday during their 25-point win over Richmond at the MCG.
Instead, Cooper Trembath and second-gamer Taylor Goad took most of the centre ball-ups. Trembath would then immediately go forward, where he returned to form with a decisive haul of four goals, while Xerri did more ruck work around the ground.
With North 7-7 and well in the top-10 hunt, coach Alastair Clarkson said they were being careful with Xerri's workload.
"When you combined all the stoppages with the centre (ball-ups), he's sometimes doing 80 contests a game," Clarkson said of Xerri.
