Ferguson wants to be centre of attention

Despite his Four Nations heroics on the wing for Australia, Blake Ferguson is set to stay in the centres this NRL season as the Sydney Roosters plot their rebuild.

Ferguson spent the Roosters' forgettable 2016 campaign floating between fullback, wing and centre.

Not content with filling a different number of roles this season, he has set his mindi on locking down the centre position.

This is despite earning big raps for his performance during the Kangaroos' successful Four Nations campaign, showing off his finishing prowess and earning the Harry Sunderland Medal for the side's best player on tour.

And even he admits his Four Nations form was the best of his career.

He will also line up on the wing for the Indigenous All Stars for Friday's clash with the World All Stars in Newcastle.

Coach Trent Robinson isn't short on backline options - recruit Michael Gordon is expected to start at fullback but can shift onto the wing.

Latrell Mitchell has trained in just about every position during the pre-season but is understood to be eyeing a centre position while Shaun Kenny-Dowall and Daniel Tupou look set to line up on the flanks.

"I'm set on centre. And the way we've built our team, my best position will be at centre," Ferguson said.

"We've got Skiddsy (Kenny-Dowall) on the wing.

"I'm not too sure about (Mitchell and Gordon), they've both been training everywhere. We'll see in round one."

After three minor premierships, the Roosters fell back to earth with a thud as they finished 15th last year.

On paper they look capable of going top four and their weekend Auckland Nines win bodes well for what's ahead.

Every team which has won the pre-season tournament has one onto win enough games to qualify for the finals.

North Queensland (2014) and South Sydney (2015) converted their Nines victories into top-eight finishes while Parramatta would have finished eighth last year had they not been stripped of 12 points for salary cap breaches.

"I think we can take a lot of confidence out of it but not get too over-confident," Ferguson said.

"It's a long year and things can happen. It's just about getting our defence right and taking everything has it comes."