NORTH Melbourne boom youngster Jack Ziebell signalled he is ready to continue on from where he was before breaking a leg midway through last season, in an intra-club practice match in Ballarat last night.

Ziebell was one of the finds of the 2009 AFL season, being a Rising Star nominee.

Unfortunately for Ziebell and the Kangaroos, his season came to an end in round 12.

Ziebell was among the busiest players in the abbreviated workout of two 18-minute halves in front of the crowd of more than 2500 that flocked to Eureka Stadium.

Ben Warren (broken leg), Robbie Tarrant (shoulder reconstructions) and rookie Luke Delaney (shoulder reconstructions) also provided the Kangaroos with reason for optimism with strong performances after being sidelined last

year.

Assistant coach Darren Crocker said it was important for these players to get some continuity when it came to game time after long-term setbacks _ especially Tarrant and Delaney.

Crocker said there was a lot to like about North Melbourne's first hit-out under match conditions.

He was happy with the intensity _ expecting no less _ although this did tend to create scrappy passages of play.

"There were enough positives".

Crocker said the forward combination of Drew Petrie, David Hale and Ben Warren, along with Matt Campbell, had worked well together.

He said North Melbourne was still working on its midfield mix, spearheaded by the ruck duo of Todd Goldstein and Hamish McIntosh, and the likes of skipper Brent Harvey at ground level.

Brent Harvey was his usual menacing self last night, while the Goldstein-McIntosh battle provided the best one-on-one contest.

It was important for the Kangaroos to get through the game without injury.

LINE-UPS (North Melbourne players):

WHITE: Leigh Harding, Jack Ziebell, Hamish McIntosh, Luke Delaney, Sam Wright, Drew Petrie, Ben Warren, Matt Campbell, Brent Harvey, Warren Benjamin, Ben Ross, Ryan Bastinac, Jamie MacMillan, Marcus White, Levi

Greenwood

BLUE: Aaron Edwards, Corey Jones, Robbie Tarrant, Daniel Pratt, Ben Speight, Ed Lower, Cruize Garlett, Scott Thompson, Conor Meredith, Brady Rawlings, Todd Goldstein, Lachie Hansen, Gavin Urquhart, Nathan Grima,

Matthew Scott, Brayden Norris.

NORTH Ballarat provided seven top up players: Orren Stephenson, Matt Sharkey, Nick Peters, Grant Bell, Cam Richardson, Derick Micallef and Oliver Tate.