Polec remains contracted until the end of 2023, but with North favouring younger players of late, questions have been raised about whether Polec has a long-term future at Arden Street.

The former Brisbane Lions and Port Adelaide dasher joined the Kangaroos at the end of 2018.

Asked about Polec's future at the club, Shaw refused to provide clarity.

"I'm not going to talk about Jared's future or anyone else's future," Shaw said.

"All I can talk about is what is happening now and I have really high standards and I expect a lot from my players in terms of playing their role."

In the shorter-term, the Roos will be confronted with a desperate Collingwood at the Gabba on Monday night.

North's football department chief Brady Rawlings said Brown was not yet ready to return from the knee injury that has kept him out of the Roos' past two matches.

Aiden Bonar (AC joint) and Jack Ziebell (hamstring) could be back within a fortnight, while Curtis Taylor (knee), Taylor Garner (hamstring) and Dom Tyson (calf) remain two to three weeks from returning.

Will Walker faces an uphill battle to return this season from a hamstring injury.

Meanwhile Rawlings said the soon to be off-contract Ben Jacobs, who hasn't played since mid-2018 with nose and concussion issues, remained a long way off playing again and was not yet at a level where he could train fully with the rest of his teammates.