North Melbourne coach Dean Laidley says he was too busy to consider a head count during the controversial AFL draw with Sydney, but would not have wanted to anyway.

Laidley was aware the Swans had an extra player on the field for about 30 seconds late in Sunday's game at Telstra Dome, during which time Sydney kicked a behind to level the scores.

Under AFL rules, it is up to the opposition skipper to call for a head count, but Laidley said on Tuesday it was not a move he would have wanted captain Adam Simpson to make.

"You can do those sort of things, but I don't think I would do it," Laidley said.

"It was only a short period of time.

"There was other things going on that probably are a little bit more important.

"We're trying to win the game, not put our hand up and say 'please count the opposition players because we'll win the game that way.'"

The Kangaroos are not calling for the AFL to penalise Sydney for the infringement, but the league have launched an investigation.

First-gamer Jesse White came onto the ground without a team-mate heading to the bench late in the last quarter, with the Swans' first-choice ruckman Darren Jolly leaving the ground about 30 seconds later.

During the intervening time, Jolly had a possession which helped Sydney move into attack to set up Brett Kirk for the behind which was the final score of the match.

"What we've got to determine is - is Darren Jolly the spare player, is Jesse White the spare player, is (Lewis) Roberts-Thomson the spare player, is Kieren Jack the spare player in those final hectic minutes?" Laidley said.

An AFL spokesman said the investigation was unlikely to be completed on Tuesday.

Under league rules, the Swans face a fine of up to $15,000, provided the infringement is deemed to be inadvertent, rather than deliberate.

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