KEY defender Sam Durdin will become the 1000th Shinboner when he makes his North Melbourne debut in Hobart against Greater Western Sydney on Saturday.
The 2014 first-round pick replaces suspended backman Scott Thompson as the Roos prepare to take on Giants stars Jeremy Cameron and Jonathon Patton.
Durdin's teammates greeted his selection with warm approval, minutes after coach Brad Scott revealed the news to reporters.
The 198cm key-position player battled shoulder and foot injuries in 2015 before spending last season at VFL level, but impressed in this year's JLT Community Series.
"From day one of the off-season last year, he's been determined to break through into our senior team," Scott said of Durdin.
"He's had a magnificent pre-season, played some good pre-season footy, and it's a great honour to be the 1000th Shinboner to represent our club.
"We're really excited for Sam and you guys are hearing about this before he's heard about it, so he'll be excited."
Thompson's one-match ban owed to a striking charge against Patrick Dangerfield in North's one-point loss last week.
"It's probably touch and go who's more disappointed – Scott or myself. But I think probably as disappointed as I am, he's probably even more so," the coach said.
"He missed a tackle, he wanted to make amends for it and just had a brain fade.
"I didn't look closely at the vision live (on) game day or after the game, but when I did see it, it's how the Tribunal should work.
"He made a silly mistake and now he cops his whack. He'll learn from it and we move on."
Scott is still deciding whether to pair two-game ruckman Braydon Preuss alongside returning No.1 big man Todd Goldstein, who was a late withdrawal last week because of an ankle injury.
The Kangaroos are playing at Blundstone Arena for the first time this year, but have won nine of their 12 matches there, including eight of their past nine.
"We've started the year in a really competitive fashion, but unfortunately that doesn't deliver us any points, so we're looking to take another step this weekend in a place that we're really familiar with," Scott said.
"We’re looking to make Hobart a fortress and we want as many North Melbourne people there as possible and the Giants have played their only once.
"We're trying to make Hobart a place really foreign to everyone else, but really comfortable and second nature to us."
