Newfound energy among the playing group has been the catalyst behind North Melbourne’s mid-season revival according to Daniel Wells.

Speaking with 3AW’s Gerard Healy, Dwayne Russell, Matthew Lloyd and Brian Taylor, the midfielder said the players relished the opportunity to get away during the bye weekend and put their recent poor form at the back of their minds.

“The club was really good in giving us four or five days off and the boys were really excited just to get away and freshen up and ever since then it’s been more enjoyable coming back to training…(we’ve been) a lot more switched on and there’s a bit of fun but the boys are really training really hard and really well and the intensity’s up and it’s just been carrying on into games,” Wells said.

That enthusiasm has resulted in more talk out on the field and has generated a real spark among the players.

“I think the training track’s been the big one for us…After we got smashed by Hawthorn, we had a week off after that, but the training session before we had a couple of days off was probably our best one for the year.”

“We have been a little bit quiet in the past. I think the last couple of weeks since that Hawthorn game where we got absolutely smashed, we’re just telling blokes to ‘come out of your shell and enjoy yourself. When you’re out on the training track it’s okay to say things because we’re all in it together. If you’re not saying anything, you’re probably doing more damage.’ So the boys are picking their moments to say things but just the enthusiasm to get the voice up around the club and have a good time, but like I said, working really hard.”

According to the reigning best and fairest winner, it’s been a player driven resurgence.

“I think it’s more powerful when it comes from the players. If we can all buy in and really challenge each other and realise this is the time of our lives when we’re all young guys and playing this great game and playing for the Kangas.

“It’s a privilege to play for them (the Kangaroos) so it’s just getting that mixture of fun and also really knuckling down when we need to.”

While big wins against Adelaide and St Kilda have given the club a boost of confidence, Wells says there’s still plenty to prove in the run home.

“We do have the belief in each other that we can play and match it with the best teams but it’s whether we can stay in the game till the final siren which has troubled us especially in the first half of the year.

“We’ve got a couple of really good wins on the board but it’s nice to know we can play really well against the really good teams.

“The last couple of weeks have been pleasing but early days it goes to show that we’re still not quite up to the big guys yet even though we’ve knocked a couple of good teams off.

“We’ve still got a bit of work to do and it’s pleasing that a lot of young kids have really stepped up and the older guys, you know Brent Harvey and Drew Petrie are always going to play their part but the Jamie Macmillan’s, Shaun Atley’s, Bastinac, these guys have really come on in leaps and bounds which has been fantastic.”

Wells also singled out the dramatic improvement of Todd Goldstein and says his good form has made others better.

“He had a slow start to the season but he’s starting to pick his pace back up and he gives us a lot of confidence in the middle. You can’t play well unless you’ve got those guys playing well as well.

The west Australian also indicated his intent to remain a one club player at North Melbourne when asked if he’d consider returning home when his current contract expires.

“I don’t think so. My wife’s from here, Melbourne so..I really enjoy it here…”