North Melbourne skipper Brent Harvey will try to defy medical advice and return to AFL action within eight weeks after learning he needs elbow surgery.

Harvey suffered damage to the ligaments in both sides of his left elbow when tackled heavily by Richmond tagger Daniel Jackson in Saturday night's match at Etihad Stadium.

The elbow joint was also dislocated.

"He's going to be out for 10 to 12 weeks, that's (club doctor Con Mitropoulos') prognosis," said Drew Petrie, who will stand in as captain in Harvey's absence.

"Brent reckons he'll be out for about eight weeks, but he's going to try to get back earlier."

"With his little bones and little ligaments he should be able to heal pretty quickly," quipped Petrie of the diminutive Harvey.

The absence of Harvey will be a major blow for the Kangaroos, who face Collingwood on Friday at Etihad Stadium.

With Daniel Wells still sidelined with a hip injury and Matt Campbell likely to miss again with a hamstring strain, North are set to be without their three quickest players for the clash with the Magpies.

"(Harvey) was shattered," Petrie said on Monday.

"Obviously this being his first year as captain and he's going to miss the next three months is disappointing for him, but I don't think Boomer will drop his head around the club.

"He can't afford to do that, he'll still have a major role to play for the club this year."

Young Kangaroos key-position player Lachlan Hansen will be sidelined for 4-6 weeks after damaging a hamstring against the Magpies.

Nathan Grima and the experienced Shannon Watt are both in contention to replace Hansen in the Kangaroos' defence for the clash with Collingwood.

Brisbane midfielder Bradd Dalziell will be out for up to three months after damaging the posterior cruciate ligament in his knee late in the 93-point thrashing by Geelong on Sunday.

"We've got to make sure we do the right thing there and give him every chance to recover because he is part of the younger brigade and with a PCL you've got to get it right otherwise it can have an impact later on in your career," said Lions coach Michael Voss.

The club thinks it is unlikely that the 22-year-old Dalziell will require surgery.

"The only reason you need surgery is if you have cartilage damage at the same time and the (medical staff) are not thinking that way," said Voss.

"It is one of those injuries that you have to put in a brace, hobble around on crutches for a while, stay off the leg and see what happens after that."

Last year's Rising Star winner, Fremantle tyro Rhys Palmer, is near-certain to miss Saturday's western derby against West Coast after wrenching his right knee during the breakthrough win over Sydney.