To most of North Melbourne’s players, Monday’s pre-season training session at the Southport Football Club on the Gold Coast will merely be remembered as another tough day at the office. But one player in particular had a different take on things with nerves, anxiety and perhaps a little bit of apprehension dominating his emotions before the session began.

When you come to know the story behind Daniel Wells’ long road to recovery after a debilitating groin and hip injury, you begin to understand why it was much more than just training for the 24-year-old.

For Wells, it was the first chance to see if walking hundreds of laps around the Arden Street Oval and spending endless hours in the gym during his rehabilitation counted for anything.

“I’ve spent a long time in rehab and it’s been a really hard time since my surgery so I enjoyed every second of training,” Wells told kangaroos.com.au. “When you’re out of the game for a long, long time you just get so hungry. I was like a wild animal set loose.”

Wells was told he could train for up to 30 minutes, if he contained himself. But the star midfielder admits to being a little overzealous at times.

“I might have overstepped it a little bit and I pulled up a little bit sore. But that’s always going to be the case when you go into the unknown because it’s such an uncontrollable environment when the ball is there and your natural instinct is just to go and get it. On the other hand, in rehab everything is controlled. So I was a bit sore initially, but I’ve recovered really well.”

So intense was his effort, at one stage his heart rate was recorded at 190 beats per minute.

“That either means I was having a bit of a crack or I’m unfit so hopefully the work I’ve done in rehab hasn’t left me too far behind the boys. I’m not too far off the pace training wise which is encouraging. I just felt normal out there, my groin felt alright, and I didn’t feel out of place one bit.

Wells’ biggest test came when a ball was kicked to his opponent Levi Greenwood in a full ground drill. Without any hesitation he went in and spoiled the marking attempt.
“The ball popped up and I didn’t even think about the groin. I caught up really well and landed well after the contest. Levi was a bit filthy about it…I could have put my knee into his back though,” Wells joked.

With one session down, the next run on Wednesday will be just as important to Wells’ hopes of playing in the senior side in round one of the 2010 AFL season. That being said, the door isn’t entirely closed on a potential appearance in the upcoming NAB Cup.

“Recovery is the key for me. Every time I test the body out I have to make sure I treat it right and hopefully it treats me right. You just never know. I haven’t had any hiccups yet so anything could happen.”