DISAPPOINTED with his inconsistency this year, Michael Firrito is confident the familiar territory of the North Melbourne backline will help him revisit his best football in 2010.

Spending most of the 2009 season in North's reworked, often undermanned midfield, the 26-year-old provided the strong body his side needed at stoppages.

And though he was second to Andrew Swallow in tackles and averaged almost 17 possessions, Firrito identified that he sometimes struggled to have a greater influence on contests.

"I played some good footy at times and then I'd go missing for a couple of weeks," he said.

"I guess I've always played down back a bit more where it's probably a bit easier to be consistent [than] going through the midfield.

"I was probably in and out of games a fair bit, which was frustrating for me."

Senior assistant coach Darren Crocker, who was caretaker for the last 10 games of the season when Dean Laidley resigned, agreed that experimenting with Firrito's role may have affected his form.

Crocker had flagged Firrito as a prospective All-Australian backman at the end of 2007 and in September said he should be motivated to rebound from his challenges.

"A lot was different for me and then obviously with Laids leaving it was a tough year with a lot of change going on," Firrito said.

"Even in my own game, being up the ground and back, I found it difficult to be consistent.

"I'm looking to get that back a bit more this year and hopefully still go through the midfield a bit, but be more settled down back somewhere.

"We've got a good, exciting, young backline so I'll be helping them out where I can."

Scott Thompson and Nathan Grima look settled in North's key defensive positions at full-back and centre half-back, however, they have just 41 games' experience between them.

Given Josh Gibson's departure to Hawthorn, the contribution of Firrito (127 games) and Daniel Pratt (98) will become even more important.

Firrito has been training under new assistant coach Shane Watson and club great Glenn Archer and said the pair had combined well to take charge of the backline.

"I've done most of the [pre-season] work with Watto," Firrito said. "He's been good to work with.

"Arch comes in a couple of days a week. I obviously looked up to him a lot at the start of my career and having him back working with us has been great.

"Pratty and I played with him and Scott McMahon probably did a bit as well. He's a guru back there. His support and advice is pretty priceless for us."

Like last year, Firrito completed every pre-Christmas session and hopes the conditioning can again translate to his fitness during the season.

He has missed just one game in the last three years; a record only bettered by Drew Petrie.