The teams will meet again this weekend, but in very different circumstances to 2010, when both seemed destined to surge into the top half of the ladder. While the Kangaroos, assured of a finals berth, have since won 47 matches, the Demons' recovery has floundered, winning only 18 in the same period.

Scott unsurprisingly declined to offer his thoughts on the Demons' inability to keep pace with his club, but confirmed he had been encouraged by the progress made at Arden Street.

"It's been good that we've been able to keep working and keep putting ourselves in contention this year, but we've still got a lot of improvements. We're sitting sixth now, we'd like to be higher up on the ladder," he said.

Scott's ambition to reach the finals has been helped by continuity in selection. This year the Kangaroos have had nine players – Leigh Adams, Shaun Atley, Ryan Bastinac, Aaron Black, Ben Cunnington, Nick Dal Santo, Sam Gibson, Todd Goldstein and Drew Petrie – who have featured in every match, the best of any team that will play or is in contention to play finals. They have also had another four who have missed one match. In both 2012 and 2013 the Kangaroos had eight players feature in every match. By contrast, Collingwood this year is set to have only one player – defender Jack Frost – appear in every match.

Scott said credit for the Kangaroos' great injury record of late had to go to the team led by high-performance manager Steve Saunders, hailed as the "groin guru" for his expertise in treating nagging groin injuries, and doctor Andy McMahon.

"We've got enormous faith in our medical staff and our conditioning staff to get our players up and going," he said. "We've been a little bit unfortunate this year with collision, bone, joint-type injuries, but the soft-tissue record has been fantastic. Our medical staff are really highly regarded, as they should be."

Scott said North's current injury situation was the best it had been all year. Defensive flanker Jamie Macmillan will play his first senior match since breaking his leg in round three. He is set to be joined on Saturday night at Etihad Stadium by Lachie Hansen, who has missed the club's past three matches with a hip injury, and fit-again Daniel Wells after suspension. Furthermore, long-term injury absentees Robin Nahas (shoulder) and Joel Tippett (pectoral) are poised to resume in the VFL.

The coach said his decision to recall Macmillan, 22, after just a fortnight in the VFL "probably reflects the standing with which we hold him".

With North having a strong grip on sixth position, and not in reach of displacing Port Adelaide from fifth, the Roos are likely to rest a couple of players against Melbourne, although the coach was adamant the return of Wells, Hansen and Macmillan would be of more significance.

The two players at the front of the queue for a pre-finals break are defenders Luke McDonald and Michael Firrito.

McDonald, 19, has missed only one match this season. Scott was glowing on the impact he had made in his first season, predicting he would be a strong contender for next week's Rising Star Award. Firrito, 30, has had a stunning career revival this year, despite regularly playing on taller key-forward opponents.

The return of Wells will be welcomed by the Kangaroos, given he has missed most of the season due to a foot injury and was suspended for one match after his return in round 21.

"He did a game-simulation session on the weekend and did that really well, so he's in really good condition," Scott said of Wells. "It's been a long, steady build for him. We saw him play pretty well against the Bulldogs and we think he'll build on that performance."