Hansen, selected by the Roos at No. 3 in the 2006 NAB AFL Draft, plans to fulfil the expectation that has surrounded his first two years at the club and saw him play 10 of this season's last 11 games.
Joining assistant coach Darren Bewick's group has given the 20-year-old a strong indication he'll be used in attack, moving up from the drifting spare-parts role he's held to this stage of his career.
"It's a little bit different to last year where I was more a defender," Hansen said. "But I'm enjoying training as a forward, learning all of the new plays that we're doing."
Hansen played most of his junior football at centre half-back, but was often swung forward when representing Gippsland at under-18 level.
His endurance was as prevalent then as it is now and he's confident it's an advantage he'll retain over most opponents.
A stand-out in the beep test and time trial at the 2006 NAB AFL Draft Camp, little has changed for Hansen on the track in his graduation to the elite level.
He completed Monday's 3.2km run around Princes Park in 10min 59sec, finishing in the top five of all comers – a very convincing return for a 197cm and 97kg frame.
"Hopefully I can get a bit better at that over the next few weeks as well and be ready for a big season," he said.
"I've always had that endurance so to keep that while I try to get bigger will be good. I'd like to play centre half-forward – I'm training as a hit-up forward at the moment. I can use my strengths with running as well instead of just leading up and back."
He plans to gain another two kilos in the coming weeks, to give him some extra strength in the contests, and admits that the intensity of pre-Christmas training has been pretty tough.
Recent progress has fostered Hansen's aim to win a regular spot in North's 22 in 2009, feeling that he owes it to the club to deliver on his potential.
"I've always felt a little bit of extra pressure," he said. "The first year it got to me a bit and I didn't play that well. But I'm better for it.
"This year I started to get some form and played a few games, so I'm getting used to it. I'm just hoping to have another big one and repay them (the club) a little bit.
"But all the coaches have been great, they don't put any pressure on me. They don't say, 'You're [a] number three [draft pick], you've got to be the best' or anything. And I hook in with Drew Petrie a fair bit and he's been good to me.
"I'm just looking forward to this year."
