North Wells' home for life
He may be an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, but Daniel Wells says he won’t be going anywhere.
The midfielder has told the Herald Sun’s Jon Ralph he wants North Melbourne to be his home for life.
"I would love to be a one-club player," he said.
"I would love to see out my career with them (the Kangaroos). Hopefully I still have plenty of years, so I will just get out on the park and play good footy, and that will take care of itself.
Wells, 28 this week, says the club’s up-and-comers inspire him and he’s relishing his role as a leader.
"I have got a lot of time for the Kangaroos. We have been through some tough times but we are a really good team and it's exciting to be part of, and I want to help the young ones out.”
Wells’ last contract talks were complicated as he contemplated a move back home to Western Australia to play with the Eagles or Dockers, but that temptation is no longer.
The number 8 has had another injury riddled run this pre-season with a lingering achilles injury from 2012, but remains confident he’ll be at full fitness in time to play against Collingwood in Round 1 and possibly some NAB Cup games.
"I played (in the session on Friday at Geelong) and got through the whole session and I am moving pretty well.
"I didn't have surgery but it was really sore and tender pretty much the whole time in Utah, and it was frustrating, but I tried to make sure no one picked up on my body language.”
North medical staff sent Wells home a few days early from the camp to see a specialist in order to guarantee him that everything was tracking well.
"It still wasn't quite right when I got back to Australia, but in the last couple of weeks it's gone pretty well and now we are putting heavy loads into it. The docs have assured me it is going to be fine, so I am getting some run in my legs."
His own issues aside, Wells has backed 34-year old superstar Brent Harvey to play on past 2013.
"He has had a super pre-season. The way he is training at the moment is as good as I have seen. He doesn't drop off one bit. There is no doubt he could go on again. He has a whole season to get through but he is training as well as ever."