Despite beating 2009 pre-season premier Geelong, North has made two changes to the squad that will face Fremantle at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
Forward Corey Jones and defender Scott McMahon - among the better players against the Cats - have made way for Lindsay Thomas, who has overcome a quad injury, and draftee Ryan Bastinac.
Last week's three emergencies, Aaron Edwards and rookie-listed pair Marcus White and Ben Speight, will also be considered when the final team is trimmed to 26 players.
"We'll mix and match again this week, bring some new people in and rest some older type people," Harding said.
"It's week to week. You've got to give some opportunities to younger guys to try to get the right mix for round one. That will happen over the next three weeks.
"Everyone gets a good run and a good crack at their chance to impress."
North trained at high intensity for more than two hours at Arden Street on Wednesday, with midfielder Daniel Wells completing most of the session in his recovery from osteitis pubis.
Centre half-back Nathan Grima, nursing a broken finger, took part in some ball work before aggressively running laps of the oval, while Daniel Pratt had his right calf treated but looked fine soon after.
Gavin Urquhart, still sporting a black eye suffered in last week's game, has been named to play Fremantle even though his vision seemed impaired by the injury.
As has been the case all summer, the spirit of the session was high with coaches and players vocal in match simulation and in marking and stoppage work.
"The boys are going OK. It's such a young group as well," Harding said.
"It's been good learning over the pre-season - new styles and giving kids the opportunities. They're embracing that which is very pleasing."
Brad Scott's attacking game plan will see Harding play in the midfield this year, given deputy vice-captain Brady Rawlings' place in the backline, Wells' modified program for the short-term and Harding's own ability to push into attack.
A small forward until he was sidelined by a knee injury in 2007, Harding reinvented himself as a half-back in the last two seasons and - because of his versatility and 129 games of experience - has emerged as one of North's more important players.
"It's good to have a few strings to your bow," he said. "I enjoyed it forward when I was there but I loved being back and that group of backline people.
"Over time I've crept further and further up the ground and now through the midfield. [Rawlings] going back allowed me to go into the midfield so I'm grateful for that.
"We're a pretty dangerous sort of mix when we've got Brent Harvey, Daniel Wells, Matty Campbell and Lindsay Thomas floating through that midfield and forward."
The 28-year-old said playing as a defender had given him the composure which has ultimately seen his disposal improve.
