Richardson is still undergoing rehabilitation after hip surgery in the off-season.

The North Ballarat premiership player is entering his second season with the Kangaroos.

He made eight AFL appearances last year.

North Melbourne has a healthy looking list with its pre-season NAB Cup campaign beginning on Friday, February 17.

The Kangaroos went into the equivalent intra-club match at last year’s AFL community camp in Ballarat with just 27 players available,

Richardson will be one of just six on the sidelines at Eureka Stadium at 5.30pm.

Daniel Wells (blood clot) is still unable to be involved in contested work.

He has completed the bulk of the pre-season general fitness program, but is yet to be medically cleared for anything of a competitive nature.

Majak Daw will miss with knee soreness, Ayden Kennedy is still getting over a knee scare, new rookie Malcolm Lynch has a minor hip issue and highly rated recruit Tom Curran has spent the pre-season getting over a foot injury.

Curran was still wearing a “moon boot” when North Melbourne arrived in Ballarat yesterday to launch the two-day camp.

The intra-club match will be the Kangaroos’ first serious hit-out of the year and the players’ first opportunity to make a bid for selection for the opening matches of the NAB Cup against Richmond and Hawthorn at Etihad Stadium.

This will also be new captain Andrew Swallow’s first opportunity to put on display his new on-field leadership role.

Swallow has been the centre of attention since being named as captain on Friday, succeeding veteran Brent Harvey.

This is the third year in a row North Melbourne has had a full-scale intra-club match in Ballarat during the community camp, with the past two attracting crowds of 2000-plus.

The match will comprise four 20-minute quarters.

Reports, pictures page 38