Marks originally arrived with coach Shaun Mooney from Bairnsdale a decade ago and spent four seasons with the club, before a five-year stint with Spotswood in the Western Region Football League.

"Obviously I have more experience now and probably a little bit more of a focus on contested footy after playing on the smaller grounds in Melbourne," he said.

"Our home ground at Spotswood, you could probably play on one wing at John Foord Oval (laughs)."

Marks has a special affinity with the Roos' home ground as his mother's cousin was the late Fred Swift, who captained Richmond to the 1967 premiership and then coached Corowa to the Ovens and Murray flag the following year.

"As a rebounding half-backer, Jason will give us some movement out of the backline," Roos' head of football Craig Spencer said.

"He will be that player that can look up and spot a player and then hit the target as well."

In a wonderful boost for the league, there's a growing excitement about the Roos after former AFL assistant Peter German's appointment as coach.

"The new footy department has been really open with plans and how they're going about it and obviously having Peter German on hand's a pretty big buzz," 29-year-old Marks said.

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Marks will not only add composure and pace, but he also carries a natural enthusiasm.

"He's the sort of guy who will ring his mates and say, 'come on, you haven't signed up, what are you doing, let's get going'," Spencer praised.