North Melbourne caretaker coach Darren Crocker says he wants to bring a greater sense of enjoyment and risk-taking to the AFL club during his time in charge.

Crocker, installed as interim coach after Dean Laidley quit last Tuesday, will lead the team for the first time against the Western Bulldogs on Sunday.

He said he had not been given a specific mandate from the Kangaroos' board, but ensuring the club was an exciting place to be was a priority.

"Basically I think one of my briefs is to try to lift the enjoyment factor and have the environment where both the staff and players want to come into the place and get better," Crocker told Fox Sports' On The Couch program on Tuesday night.

"We're going into a new facility in six months' time, a high performance facility, and we want to make sure we keep educating the players so that when we actually do move in there we're heading in the right direction as a footy club."

Crocker said on the field the players needed to feel free to take more risks.

"Early in the season we were able to get the ball inside 50 a fair bit but our inside forward 50 efficiency was poor," he said.

"But in recent times we've really struggled to get the ball in there, so we need to try to free the boys up, take a few more risks and just try to play a little bit more free-flowing."

Crocker, who wants the job permanently, said he was not deterred by the public indications the Kangaroos have given that they are keen on former Collingwood skipper Nathan Buckley to take over the job.

Buckley is highly rated as a prospective senior coach despite lacking any experience as an assistant at the top level, while Crocker is in his 10th year as an assistant with Richmond and then North.

"It doesn't concern me too much," he said.

"I've got 10 weeks to put my stamp on this playing group.

"I think I've done enough in regards to an apprenticeship, I've obviously worked with Danny (Frawley) at Richmond and Dean (Laidley) for four-and-a-half years now and I believe I can do a fair bit with this playing group in the next 10 weeks.

"People have different pathways in all walks of life.

"I've been seen as a backroom boy for a while now just working away.

"A wise old man once said to me that if you're doing a good job you don't have to go telling people, they'll come telling you.

"So that's basically been my approach to my football as a player and in my coaching."

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