Daniel Wells is not an outside player, and he’s not mentally fragile

EVERYONE knows two things about Daniel Wells — he’s an outside player and he’s mentally fragile. Except he’s not, and he’s not.

Daniel Wells in action.

UNBELIEVABLY, after 13 seasons, there remain myths about Daniel Wells.

One, he’s an outside player and, two, he’s mentally fragile.

Coach Brad Scott laughs at the external observations.

“The mental side of game is huge, but it was never Wellsy’s problem,’’ he said. “If people in the past have labelled him with that then they’re wrong. This has been a physical issue this past two years, nothing to do with mental stuff.

“I’ve heard people say he’s got mental fragility, trust me, they are not people who know.

“Now he’s over the physical problems, you can see what he’s doing. If he had mental fragility this would’ve scarred him, it would’ve scarred anyone.’’

Wells is one of many feel-good stories of 2016.

Having missed half of 2014 and, save for two games, all of 2015, the question was whether this prodigious talent was cooked at 31.

In 2014, it was the Lisfranc injury. In 2015, it was an Achilles injury.

In both seasons, North Melbourne made preliminary finals. One with underdone Wells, the other without him.

His form this year, and that of his team, suggests North Melbourne is going to get another crack the top four, if not better.

The resurgence of Wells, on the back of an unflattering photograph of a pudgy Wells at the end of last season, is testament to his mental strength and desire to play senior football again.

The results have been phenomenal.

Daniel Wells is recording career-best numbers.

It’s too easy to say Wells has added run to a workingman’s midfield. He is far, far more rounded player than that. The fact is he’s a dynamic outside player and a dynamic inside player and when doing both well, Wells is as good as any midfielder in the competition.

“Any player, particularly with speed, is categorised as an outside player,’’ Scott said.

“Probably Chris Judd aside, that’s pretty much how those kinds of midfielders have categorised over the years.

“I’ve never thought Wellsy was an outside player. When he’s played he’s almost always played as inside mid.’’

His numbers this year speak volumes.

He averages 21 disposals.

His contested disposals are a career-high 10.7. The percentage of disposals won contested is a career-high 48 per cent. His tackles are a career-high 6.3 and his pressure acts are a career-high 50.

The guys who I describe as tractor types, they can soldier on with issues, the Rolls Royces can’t.

- Brad Scott

After 230 games, Wells is excelling in work ethic and defensive attitude.

Externally, there were concerns Wells would never return as the player he was. Scott, however, was unfazed.

“It’s easy to say yes now, but I can hand on my heat say we absolutely did think he could get back to his best because the evidence was pretty clear, provided we could get his body back to the level which would allow him to do it,’’ he said.

It required patience and understanding from not only the coach, but the players.

Last year, his Achilles would improve and then stagnate, meaning it never got quite right and full fitness evaded him.

And Wells is one of those players who needs full fitness.

“We refused to put him out there again when he’s not 100 per cent fit,’’ Scott said. “It wasn’t helpful to him, certainly not helpful to the team.

“Too many times previously he’s been put back out on the field when not 100 per cent, he hasn’t performed to the level everyone expects of him and he gets heavily criticised, and he loses confidence because he feels he’s letting the team down.”

Brad Scott never doubted Daniel Wells could recapture his best form. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

So, the criticism got to him?

“I don’t think criticism too much, the sense of letting his teammates down gets to him and it can manifest itself in external criticisms and he starts to wonder if his teammates think that too.

“Players can play with duress, but I tell you what, they’re not the players with blistering speed, not the players with great agility and athleticism, because when you take that away from those type of players they become average players.

“The guys who I describe as tractor types, they can soldier on with issues, the Rolls Royces can’t.’’

Scott is always hesitant to individualise — he’s favourite word is “collective’’ — but he and Wells have shared a unique relationship. Scott has coached him as an injured player which requires personal attention, while still always coaching those he had his disposal.

He says he never was impatient.

“I was never frustrated and never impatient,’’ he said. “Would I have loved him out there? Of course, but I was constantly working with various people to make sure there was no misunderstanding this was a physical problem.’’

That the Kangas have achieved so much without Wells over the past two years is indicative of the collective success.

Not so long ago, it was no Wells, no Boomer, and if Petrie didn’t kick goals, the Kangaroos were a so-so team.

Now, Wells doesn’t carry the same pressure to perform each week.

“We’ve constantly tried to take that pressure of all our good players,’’ Scott said. “The fact is we’ve really worked hard to become a balanced team.’’

For example, not one Kangaroos player has had 30 possessions this season.

“We are a good team based on the collective.’’

It’s just that the collective is far more menacing with Wells in it.

Originally published as Daniel Wells is not an outside player, and he’s not mentally fragile