North Melbourne wants to move the ball more quickly from the backline next season, having identified its transition from defence to attack as the root cause of a poor finish to 2016.
North opened last season with a club-record 9-0 run that put it two games clear on top of the ladder.
However, the Roos won just three more games for the season and, after limping into eighth spot at the end of the home and away season, were comprehensively beaten by Adelaide by 62 points in the first elimination final.
Veteran defender Scott Thompson told AFL.com.au the Kangaroos were confident they had pinpointed what let them down late last season.
"We were really happy up to the halfway mark of last season, then I guess our ball movement changed a little bit and teams probably worked out why we were winning," Thompson said.
"It was obviously disappointing, but the coaches have gone over the vision to see what happened in that second half of the year and we think we've got some things to change in our game-plan to be better for 2017.
"In the first half of the year we were a really good scoring team and that dropped off, so the transition from defence to the forward line really slowed in the second half of the season.
"It was a little bit to do with our players but also the opposition really held us up and covered us off and didn't let us get that overlap, so we'll be working at that mostly at training."
After the departures of veterans Brent Harvey, Drew Petrie, Michael Firrito, Nick Dal Santo and Daniel Wells at the end of last season, Thompson, 30, is now the second oldest player on North's list behind Jarrad Waite, 33.
Asked how tough Firrito will be to replace in North's backline, Thompson acknowledges his good mate and next-door neighbour's close-checking defence and aggression will be missed next season.
However, the 2013 All Australian is excited by the players pressing to break into the Kangaroos' back six.
Thompson says Ed Vickers-Willis has returned from his off-season in excellent shape, while former Magpie Marley Williams has impressed since crossing from Collingwood.
The key defender also believes that in Daniel Nielson, 194cm, North has a promising tall backman with "great closing speed" who could make his debut next season if he keeps improving and getting stronger.
Thompson is also bullish about the smooth-moving Sam Durdin, 198cm, but expects the South Australian will used at both ends of the ground early in his career.
"We know there's going to be a bit of external talk about us slipping next year, but it's just an exciting time to be at the club," Thompson says.
"All of the young boys know that if they train well and play well in the practice matches there's a chance to be playing and a great chance to improve.
"There's not much difference between the AFL's best and the worst teams, so we definitely aren't writing this season off. We think we're in the hunt and with a few changes to our game-plan we'll give it a crack."
Thompson turns 31 next May and is set to come out of contract at the end of next season, when he will be a free agent.
But the former Geelong VFL player is "not too worried about age or contract status".
"I love North Melbourne and everyone knows once you get a bit older you can't have those long contracts," Thompson says.
"You just see how the season goes and if the club wants to recontract you, you stay. If they don't, you finish up.
"The demographics of the club have changed a bit, we've got a bit younger. It's good just getting the young guys into the club, it makes you feel young again."
