Star North Melbourne ruckman Todd Goldstein insists he still has plenty of room for improvement and is gearing up for another punishing workload in 2016.

Goldstein was the AFL's standout ruckman last year, winning All Australian honours and the Roos' best and fairest for the first time, while also finishing 10th in the Brownlow Medal.

For the second-straight year, Goldstein played all-but one match - when he was rested before finals - averaging 90 per cent game time and breaking the League's record for hit-outs in a season (1058).

Entering what some believe is a make-or-break season for the ageing Roos' flag hopes, the 201cm big man once again looms as a key to North's fortunes and Goldstein's preference is to shoulder the majority of the ruck.

However, after re-signing until the end of 2019 late last year, the 27-year-old said his chief focus is to ensure the Roos advance beyond the preliminary final stage this year.

"I think all ruckmen like to play the majority in the ruck," Goldstein said.

"You get more continuity in your game, you're around the ball more and allows you to statistically appear like you've had a better game because you're in it more.

"Obviously I would prefer to (play mostly in the ruck), but we're at the point now where our goal is to win a premiership, so whatever my role is to help us do that, I'm not fussed."

Ben Brown was a solid pinch-hitter in the ruck for North last season, but with the sub rule scrapped and interchange rotations capped at 90 some clubs are toying with the idea of bringing back a second ruckman.

The Roos traded back-up big man Daniel Currie to Gold Coast last season, although Majak Daw and youngster Braydon Preuss impressed in an intra-club hit-out last Friday.

However, Goldstein said he's covering the ground as well as he ever has this pre-season and was confident his body would continue to stand up despite the weekly battering from opposition big men.

"There's no worries with my body. My body got through fine. I got through to (last year's) prelim with no issues at all," he said.

"I think that week off before finals now is going to help everyone. But I'm not worried about my body at all at this stage.

"I don't see why I can't play whatever role the coaches want me to play. If that's me playing on my own like I did last year, then that's fine.

"If they want to add another ruckman in, I'll just have to adjust my game."

Goldstein averaged nearly 15 touches and four marks last season, however he's determined to have an even bigger influence around the ground.

"I made a lot of mistakes through the year. Obviously my ruck work was quite good, but still trying to have an impact around the ground is the key I need to keep working on and how to get used more," he said.

"There's lots of areas to improve. I don't think anyone in the AFL has ever played the perfect season."

The Roos kick off their NAB Challenge campaign against St Kilda in Wangaratta on Saturday before facing Collingwood and Hawthorn, with Goldstein aiming to play at least two matches to prepare for a round one showdown against Adelaide.