Roosters coach Gerard FitzGerald said Hooper needed further assessment early next week to fully determine the extent of a shoulder injury he sustained in the first quarter of a Victorian Football League practice match against Footscray on Saturday.

FitzGerald was hopeful Hooper would be returned to action for round one.

Heavy knocks in a high-intensity clash and warm, still weather on the wide Eureka Stadium surface challenged player endurance.

The Roosters were left without any rotations by the final term.

FitzGerald said training leading into the Easter break could be modified, depending on how players pulled up from the game. 

The Roosters wanted a tough pre-season hit-out against quality opposition and were happy to chalk up a six-point win against the reigning premier, which was slightly undermanned.

Playing more direct football has been top of the Roosters' agenda in the new style they are working to fine-tune.

For the opening two terms they achieved this, before fading in the third and dropping in the fourth when, despite winning possession 83 touches to 67, the Roosters booted two goals to the Bulldogs' five.

"We saw good signs we are playing that type of footy for longer periods," FitzGerald said.

"...We need to see if we can play the brand of footy we played in the first half again and stretch it out for longer periods while at the same time, not lose sight in maintaining defence."

North Melbourne-listed forward Robin Nahas continued his push for AFL selection, booting five goals (three in the first quarter) from three quarters of action.

Returned ruckman Orren Stephenson was in dominant form for his first inter-club outing since re-joining the Roosters from AFL ranks.

Stephenson had 31 of the Roosters' 44 hit-outs, sharing ruck duty with towering Kangaroos' rookie Braydon Preuss, against the Bulldogs (19 hit-outs).

The Roosters third and final pre-season match is against Collingwood at the Magpies' spiritual home Victoria Park on April 11.

They will meet again a week later when the Roosters open their season against Collingwood at Eureka Stadium on April 19.

NORTH BALLARAT 6.3 10.5 12.9 14.10 (94)

FOOTSCRAY 2.0 6.2 9.3 14.4 (88)

KEY ROOSTERS STATISTICS

GOALS: Nahas 5, Staley 2, Anderson, Bacon, Stephenson, Durdin, Dumont, Hoy, Preuss.

POSSESSIONS: Sewell 28, Dumont 26, Rippon 24, Schache 20.

MARKS: Warren 7, Curnow 6, Sewell 6, Nahas 6, Staley 6.

TACKLES: Dumont 9, Anderson 5, Boseley 5, Cassidy 5.