Mason Wood says he's determined to be selected in North's season-opening squad after spending a large portion of 2015 with VFL affiliate Werribee.

The 22-year-old featured in seven games for the Roos last season, including six of the first eight home and away matches.

Wood said he was intent on being selected in round one to give himself the best chance of remaining in the starting line-up.

"I started pretty well last year and then the side really found some continuity towards the end of the year and it was really hard to get back in," Wood told RSN Breakfast on Wednesday.

"The plan is to try to get in round one and stay in this year, so fingers crossed it works out that way.

"If I make that round one team, I'm going to do everything I can just to stay in."

Wood, who has spent much of the pre-season further up the ground in a high half-forward position, said he had embraced the challenges of the new role.

"They've tried to throw me a little bit higher this year … (and) use some of my running power which is more my strength," he said.

"I played a bit of wing last year and it's a different role again from that, so I'm really looking forward to it."

The 192cm utility said forwards coach Leigh Tudor had suggested the Roos would have more of an emphasis on score assists this season, as opposed to relying on individual goalkickers.

"Playing deeper obviously leaves you closer to goal but we've had a massive focus that as long as we're scoring goals as a group, that's the goal," Wood said.

"Tudor said that the Cats back when he was coaching them had a focus on assists, and that's going to be a massive focus for us this year."