Tarrant was sent for scans on his AC joint after he was crunched in a tackle during Wednesday's intra-club hit out at Arden St.

Even if the news is better than North privately fear, there is little chance they now will let him play in the February 22 event.

It will be another blow for Patrick Dangerfield's Bolts team, which has lost Port Adelaide dynamo Robbie Gray because of knee soreness.

Power teammate Tom Rockliff has taken Gray's place in the Bolts squad.

"Rob's pretty close. I think they just want to get a little bit more conditioning into him before he goes into that game (situation)," Rockliff told reporters at Alberton Oval.

"He's done a fair bit of match simulation out here.

"(AFLX) is a good concept and, obviously, something that you can take all around the world. I think most of the players are really looking forward to it."

Hawthorn's Chad Wingard (calf), Melbourne's Steven May (hamstring) and Fremantle's Joel Hamling (soft-tissue injury) have all withdrawn from the Deadly team captained by Eddie Betts.

St Kilda's Jade Gresham, Gold Coast's Jack Martin and Dockers backman Nathan Wilson are the replacements.

AFL clubs are again taking no risks with their players after a spate of withdrawals during last year's inaugural tournament.

The concept has been revamped this year after the debut had attracted only lukewarm interest.

Four all-star teams, captained by Dangerfield, Betts, Nat Fyfe and Jack Riewoldt, will compete on February 22 at Marvel Stadium.

A maximum of four players from each AFL team can be selected across the tournament.

No injuries were reported during last year's three-day exhibition, partly due to its low-intensity nature.

Every AFL club was required to field an AFLX team but there was minimal commitment across the board.

West Coast named 11 debutants, Adelaide ruled out almost their entire 2017 grand final side and Fyfe and Gray were among last-minute scratchings.

The calibre of players named for this year's tournament is undoubtedly higher but AFL clubs remain wary of the concept, with Richmond superstar Dustin Martin among the big-name players ruled unavailable.

The hit-and-giggle competition this year features a designated "game changer" with the power to earn double points for the final five minutes of each game.

Flyers captain Fyfe confirmed players would keep intensity to a minimum.

"AFLX will likely be a non-contact style of play," Fyfe said.

"There is more risk of me getting injured in regular pre-season team training than there is in AFLX."

Australian Associated Press