It’s no secret; North Melbourne is out to improve its tackling after finishing the year ranked 15th in the key statistic with an average of just 58.6 per game.  The Roos were well below the league average for tackle attempts and efficiency but next year will be much different according to Daniel Wells.

The addition of tackling expert and internationally renowned jiu-jitsu instructor John Donehue is set to have a profound impact if the past in anything to go by.

In Wells’ formative years at the club, Donehue was employed on a part-time basis and immediately won the respect of the playing group with his hard-nosed approach.

"He is going to step everything up with our intensity and our aggression and also our technique,” Wells told The Age’s Jon Pierik.

“He is quite an intimidating man. He just has so much power, so much knowledge.”

The two-time Syd Barker medal winner believes deficiencies in the area and a drop off in intensity cost the Roos many games in a season in which 10 of their 12 defeats were by less than three goals, with five by less than a goal.

"We got what we deserved, there is no doubt about that. At crucial times, we weren't able to stem the flow and teams were allowed to get back (into the contest)," Wells said.

"We just want to make sure we take out those moments where you need a bit of luck. You are going to need it at stages but we relied on it too much. That was our own fault.

"We have looked over those games more than anybody and we understand why the results didn't go our way. At training, tackling is probably the biggest thing we need to work on for next year. We will do doing that."

A former body guard to Nelson Mandela and other VIPs, Donehue has worked at several elite sporting clubs including Carlton, Port Adelaide, Melbourne, Melbourne Storm, the New South Wales State of Origin side, the Waratahs and he also has strong ties with Ultimate Fighting Championship legend Randy Couture.

The addition to Donehue, the respective appointments Geoff Walsh, Gavin Brown and Leigh Tudor’s have been received well by the playing group.
"We have to make sure we complement them on field and that's where it counts. They (club bosses) have set up around us the best they can as they have always tried to do.  Obviously, this year they have stepped it up again," he said.

Utilising the new off-field expertise and learning from 2013 is another critical part of achieving some sustained success.

"Every player on our team knows exactly what is expected of them at certain stages . . . a lot of it is mindset, and not just young players but some older players as well.

"We are all in it together. We are looking forward to the pre-season coming up. Normally you don't but when you think you are building to something, you get a bit of momentum into the season."

The younger Roos will return in early November with Wells and the senior players joining them a few weeks later.

"As a playing group, we will head away to Utah in a month and a bit and work as hard as we can to make sure we keep on improving. That's what the game is all about."