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Daniel Wells has shed 6kg and will make North Melbourne a better team, says coach Brad Scott
NORTH Melbourne star Daniel Wells is poised to deliver the Kangaroos’ premiership assault a major boost after dropping 6kg since last season.
Coach Brad Scott told the Herald Sun the dazzling midfielder returned to pre-season training in “equal to the best condition” of his 224-game career.
This season is a make-or-break 13th campaign for Wells, who played only the first two games last season amid a debilitating run of achilles problems.
Wells returned to training late last season but was overlooked for finals selection as he struggled with fitness.
The 31-year-old was required to reduce his skinfolds over summer and looms as a vital addition to the club’s midfield setup this season after consecutive preliminary finals.
Scott was adamant the club was not expecting superstar performances from Wells but said “he is a player who can do things that other can’t”.
“I really feel that he is carried the burden of expectation on his shoulders for too long and I think that is unfair and it doesn’t suit his personality,” Scott said.
“That is not a slight against Daniel, it’s just that everyone is different.
"Stressing what we need him to do has meant that he has come in (this pre-season) probably equal to the best condition he has been in his career.
“He seems to be training really well, but we are just expecting him to get some continuity in training and play his role for the team.
“If he does that, it will probably add up to us being a better team, but it’s not the missing link.”
His return will add some crucial speed and polish to imposing onball group led by Ben Cunnington, Jack Ziebell and Andrew Swallow and help free up playmakers Brent Harvey, Nick Dal Santo and Shaun Higgins.
Scott said Wells had been weighed down by expectations in the past but believed he was in a good space entering this season.
“People may forget, but he was the player North Melbourne received as compensation for losing Wayne Carey,” he said.
“So with that comes some expectations and then you see the things that he can do on the field which are things very few other players can do.
“It can frustrate because people can expect him to do that all the time.”
