NORTH Melbourne midfielder Daniel Wells will play for North Ballarat in the VFL this Saturday as he attempts to put a wretched run of injuries behind him.

Hip and leg complaints have restricted Wells to just seven games this season with the last of those against St Kilda in round 11.

Caretaker coach Darren Crocker said Wells was not considered for senior selection because of the amount of time he had spent on the sidelines.

"We've had a plan with Daniel from a fair way out and it's just about getting himself right," Crocker said from Trinity Grammar's playing fields on Thursday.

"He'll play in the VFL and that is a really positive sign. His last two weeks of training have been very good. We know that he's starting to get back to where [he] wants to get back to.

"He'll play around 70 per cent [of game time] in the VFL and hopefully really start to push for senior selection in the next couple of weeks."

The Roos take on Melbourne on Sunday and will have to make two at least two changes because of Adam Simpson's retirement and Leigh Harding's hamstring injury in last week's loss to Carlton.

Crocker said the final line-up would be decided after the main training session at Bulleen and challenged his team to carry over the intensity it took into Simpson's farewell game.

"I've spoken to the group about having the right mindset and having the intent that's required to win games of football," he said.

"We've been close in that regard and even last Friday night the mindset and the intent was great, but this week we haven't got the Adam Simpson factor and they've got to make sure that they bring that to the game again this weekend.

"We're all desperate for a win at this football club – myself as senior coach and all the players. We haven't had one for a fair while [and it would be important] for the young guys to remind them what a great feeling it is to actually win games of AFL football."

The Dees have come under intense scrutiny after some experimental match-ups by Dean Bailey in last Sunday's loss to Richmond, but Crocker expected a fired-up opponent to run out onto Docklands.

"I'd imagine that their playing group would be sitting back and they'd be just as desperate for a win with all the scrutiny that they’ve actually come under, but it's more about us," he said.

"I don't believe in tanking as a senior coach. I think the AFL will do whatever they need to, to try and clear the debate up. Our playing group is desperate for a win and I'm desperate for a win as their senior coach."