WHEN Collingwood recruit Daniel Wells has the ball in the hands it's like the game stands still, according to fellow midfielder Levi Greenwood.

The silky-smooth veteran's composure under pressure allows him to weigh up his options and make the right decisions in the blink of an eye.

Add that to a midfield brimming with raw talent and no shortage of ball-winners and Greenwood can see the pieces coming together as the Magpies look to end a three-year finals drought.

The tough onballer spent six seasons playing alongside Wells at North Melbourne and believes the 32-year-old will have an immediate impact on his new team.

"He's played 14, 15 years now and I think his maturity is something that we might have been lacking over the last few years," Greenwood told AAP.

"He always looks like the game stands still around him.

"All of the young midfielders in the team can learn a lot from Wellsy and Pendles (captain Scott Pendlebury), just the way they move through traffic and apply themselves to the game.

"I hope that he can play a lot of footy for us this year because I think he'll be an important player."

Wells has battled fitness concerns and a calf issue since his arrival at Collingwood but played two quarters during an intra-club practice match on Wednesday night.

He is likely to serve as a mentor to the likes of Taylor Adams and Adam Treloar, who enjoyed a career-best season last year.

With coach Nathan Buckley admitting he will struggle to retain his job if the Magpies miss the finals again, Greenwood said he hoped the side would enjoy some better luck on the injury front.

"We've had quite a few injuries, not that that's an excuse, but I think last year we played close to 40 players on the list," he said.

"Just having a settled team every week and another year under these young guys' belts will put us in good stead to hopefully win more games than we lose this year."