Troubled utility Tarryn Thomas is set to return to North Melbourne's AFL program from next week.

The 23-year-old's career has been hanging in the balance since he was stood down by the club for a second time in March amid concerns over his behaviour towards women.

Thomas took an important step towards returning to North's senior program, gathering 18 disposals in the Kangaroos' VFL win over Sandringham on Sunday.

He will play VFL again this Saturday when North host Frankston at Arden St Oval, but Thomas should be able to resume training with the AFL squad from Monday.

"From what I can understand he's been progressing really well with the program that was put in place for him in the last four to six weeks," Kangaroos coach Alastair Clarkson said.

"If that gets ticked off across the weekend, then the plan will be that he comes back into the full-time AFL program from next week.

"And then once he gets back into that program, it will become a chance (with) our medical team, our conditioning team, our coaching staff and his teammates to do the training necessary for getting ready to play AFL footy again.

"Whether that's a one-week time-frame, or whether it's a six week time-frame."

"It does help that he will have played two VFL games to get some match conditioning, but my gut feel is it's going to require a bit longer than that (before he plays AFL)."

North Melbourne chief executive Jennifer Watt and football boss Todd Viney have been tracking Thomas' progress away from football and will make the final call on when he is allowed to return to the AFL group.

Thomas was charged in January with threatening to distribute an intimate image and faced court in March. The case will return to the Broadmeadows Magistrates Court on July 18.

In February, Thomas faced two counts of violating a court order but those charges were subsequently dropped.

In March, North were made aware of further allegations of inappropriate behaviour, which they reported to the AFL's integrity unit.

Last month, North fined Thomas $5000 and made him donate a further $5000 to a road safety charity for a video he posted to social media that showed him behind the wheel of his drifting Mercedes with his feet on the dashboard.

He is also due to face court later this year on an unrelated charge of driving with a suspended licence.