DARREN MONCRIEFF
Tuesday 14 February 2012
A FOOTBALLER can measure his value to his club not so much from the opinion of his coach but from that of his peers.
Daniel Wells' value to North Melbourne Football Club, therefore, was put in focus last week after he was named in the AFL club's five-strong leadership group for season 2012 -- this just months after undergoing emergency treatment from which he must now take powerful blood-thinning medicine.
Wells' appointment speaks volumes for the high regard he enjoys at the Kangaroos. It comes after a tumultuous off-season for the 28-year-old West Australian (pictured).
The super-skilled Kangaroos midfielder was last year recovering from shoulder surgery when he began to feel sharp chest and lower back pain at home. He then began to experience shortness of breath before coughing up blood.
He was rushed back to hospital. There, Wells was found to have bloods clot on both of his lungs. Emergency surgery rectified the often-fatal condition.
After recovering from the operation, Wells was put on a modified training program and, because of the medication he's on, has been unable to engage in full body contact training although he's maintained his overall fitness and his aerobic capacity is sound.
"It just shows you that life can be taken away from you any time, anywhere," Wells said last month.
"If it can happen to me who, I suppose, is in the elite category of fitness, then it can happen to anybody.
"I didn't feel like I was going to die at the time but everyone was saying I could have. You've just got to be thankful for everything you've got. I'm blessed to be able to play footy at this level, so to get another chanceis good."
Most of the AFL's 18 club have announced their leadership groups ahead of the new season.
While Hawthorn are among a handful of clubs to yet name their leadership groups, it appears Lance Franklin will be among his club's in 2012.
AboriginalFootball@westnet.com.au
Last Modified on 14/02/2012 16:53