Highly-rated North Melbourne youngster Jesse Smith has suffered another injury setback as he tries to return to the AFL.

Smith was having his second game back in the VFL reserves on the weekend when he had to leave the field.

The Kangaroos are awaiting the result of scans on Tuesday, but at this stage they are treating it as a grade-one hamstring tear.

While that would put Smith out of action for three weeks, they hope he will play again, at least in the VFL, before the end of the season.

"Jesse came off the ground yesterday with hamstring soreness and didn't take any further part in the match," North football manager Donald McDonald said on the club's website.

"Obviously we're treating this latest setback very seriously."

Smith, 22, has not played senior football since round five last season and has managed only 27 AFL games since his 2005 debut.

There are big wraps at Arden St on Smith, who received a Rising Star nomination in 2007.

Also on Monday, the Kangaroos revealed that outstanding first-year player Jack Ziebell will need surgery for a hip problem.

Ziebell is already sidelined after breaking his leg in round 12 and will not play again this season.

The Kangaroos have not won since round nine, drawing Sunday's match against Richmond after recovering from a 43-point deficit early in the third term.

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