North Melbourne forward Nathan Thompson is struggling in his comeback from two knee operations and will not play football at all this weekend.

After returning from a knee reconstruction that cruelled his AFL season last year, Thompson needed an arthroscopy on the same knee after he jarred it against the Brisbane Lions in round 10.

The Kangaroos spearhead, who started the season well with 24 goals from nine games, missed just two weeks following surgery but was then dumped from the side after the club's round 15 match against Port Adelaide.

The club's two-time leading goal-kicker could only manage two goals from three games.

Although he kicked six goals for the club's VFL affiliate Werribee two weeks ago and did not play last weekend due to the bye, Thompson is still not ready to return to the senior side.

Coach Dean Laidley said Thompson lacked conditioning in his legs which meant he had lost his ability to accelerate hard from his opponent.

Laidley said Thompson would be rested from all football - both the Roos' return game against the Lions and the VFL - this weekend, and hoped another week of conditioning would put him in the mix for a recall against the Western Bulldogs in round 19.

"He's not injured per se, he's just lost a lot of strength in his legs because backing up week after week coming off a knee (reconstruction) he hasn't been able to put the strength work in his legs. So progressively over the season he lost that spark to get off opponents," Laidley said.

"So for the last three weeks, we've put him through a strengthening program and we'd like to think by early next week he's right to go.

"His touch is still good, his kicking is still very good but it's just the strength in his legs that we're after."

But Thompson's absence has seemingly had little effect on the `Roos scoring power.

The team had 12 different goal-kickers and kicked a total of 17 goals in their 18-point victory over Collingwood, while goalsneak Lindsay Thomas (five goals) and Corey Jones (four) were important in their 28-point win over Melbourne last Sunday.

After being dropped twice this year, Jones' return to form has heartened Laidley.

He has kicked seven goals in the last two matches, after being axed for the second time after round 14 against St Kilda.

"He's kept it pretty basic and personally I've done a hell of a lot of work with him to get him back and kicking goals," Laidley said.

"He's an important player for us - if he can kick multiple goals for us, it certainly helps keep the scoreboard ticking over."

The Kangaroos, who travel to the Gold Coast for the last time to play the Lions, are keen to consolidate their position in the eight.

Despite a 2-4 win-loss record on the road, Laidley said the club would put aside their interstate woes, but believed the clash would be "a war of attrition".

He hoped his side would win the midfield battle to stop Brisbane's supply to Jonathan Brown.

The Lions spearhead has kicked 12 goals from 25 shots in the last two games against the club.

"Brown's caused us a few headaches the last couple of times we played them," Laidley said.

"We'll have to make sure we get the match-ups right but I still think it's about winning the ball in the midfield and putting the pressure on there, rather than getting three or four numbers behind the ball."

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