Player Watch Daniel Wells, (New role at the Club #3261)

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Couldn't be bothered training hard and trying to make it back for the Grand Final? We could get a bunch of injuries in the prelim and need him?

Hes clearly been told hes not in contention and/or hes got another niggle.

 

[PeanutButter Pies]

At least he finished on a high with that great game up in Sydney!

 

[Kappa]

Hes clearly been told hes not in contention and/or hes got another niggle.

Yep, and he turned up to preseason in great shape too.

Great player for North.

 

[PIEWITHSAUCE]

Hes clearly been told hes not in contention and/or hes got another niggle.

Yep. Like I said the other day in one of the training threads - you only had to see him the other night hobbling around on his strapped leg that he was zero chance for a final. I think he has known for weeks that he wasn't getting selected but has continued to put in an appearance on the track in some discomfort.

In the end it wasn't a smart signing but an educated gamble and it hasn't paid off.

I wish him well and hope one of our other educated gambles comes off.

 

[Scud2]

You would have to imagine he has either injured something else or the knee is simply not right.

You couldn’t imagine if the body was right, even if you were told you weren’t in contention for selection, that you would retire one win away from a grand final. You never know - injuries, suspension etc. could have opened a door.

There is a part of me that says a lot of sunk money. But he took a cut this year to fit players in, massive respect for that. We have also been to a grand final, and potentially a second with him on the list. When he signed we were hardly as attractive a club as we are now and he played a role in that. The games he played in, we looked really good. Shame we couldn’t see him as the connecting half forward / wing more!

 

[Nuwanda]

Maybe he was hoping he gets a game this week as a send off?

 

[Nuwanda]

All jokes aside, a brilliant player who we, at Collingwood, didn’t get an opportunity to see the best of. Hopefully people remember how silky smooth he was. I’ll never forget those games against North when he constantly ran the ball out of the centre.

It’s sad he didn’t stay with North and stay a 1 club player.

 

[NeverWobble]

Wish him the best for the future. Fit and firing he was a joy to watch, seemingly effortless skill.

 

[Jafo]

All’s Well that ends Wells. Wait. Too soon?

 

[Jafo]

All jokes aside, a brilliant player who we, at Collingwood, didn’t get an opportunity to see the best of. Hopefully people remember how silky smooth he was. I’ll never forget those games against North when he constantly ran the ball out of the centre.

It’s sad he didn’t stay with North and stay a 1 club player.

He’s another one of those in the bunch of injured players that frequently came back and played us, tore us apart and then went back on the injured list. The Duck and Huddo at VFL park also come to mind. Amongst others. Top player though. Good luck in retirement Welsy.

 

[left at home]

It was unfortunate that we did not see much of Daniel on the field, such a Brilliant player when fit, we only got to see small glimpses of that.
If he is still struggling to run then he has made the right decision.

 

[Mukesh]

Anti-climatic end to a fine career. Deserved better from the footy gods.... Recruiting Daniel was well worth the roll of the dice, not all punts come off..

 

[Gone Critical]

Was going at a 10 game a year average in the 3 years before we got him and was already 31 years old. Didn't take Nostradamus to see it was highly likely he was cooked.

In the end, even 10 games a year was asking too much. Horrific recruiting and a saga I'm sure a fair few people at the club are happy has finally come to completion.

Played 19 games in last season at NM and 4th in their B&F . Put on a clinic against us during 2016 cutting us to ribbons. If he didn’t badly break his foot or do his posterior cruiciate he would have played a lot more footy for us. When did you foresee these injuries?

 

[Kappa]

Played 19 games in last season at NM and 4th in their B&F . Put on a clinic against us during 2016 cutting us to ribbons. If he didn’t badly break his foot or do his posterior cruiciate he would have played a lot more footy for us. When did you foresee these injuries?

I think a huge amount of posters at the time bemoaned the length of Wells contract for a player well over 30 who had missed a huge amount of Footy over the past 3 years (before we got him)

 

[PicaBoo]

Sad thing is, we are not talking about potential, he WAS good. If only he could get on the park. One of those gambles that didn't pay off but when on song he would have been lethal for us. Ah well(s), better to put an end to the speculation. Pity he couldn't get the exit he deserved but such is life.

 

[joff]

Wells has had a great career and I congratulate him on that he and his family should be proud.The roll of dice with us didn't work out like we all wanted it to unfortunately but it was definitely worth a shot.

 

[pablo disco bar]

Glad that's over
Will never think of him as a Collingwood player

 

[domin8tors]

Yep. Like I said the other day in one of the training threads - you only had to see him the other night hobbling around on his strapped leg that he was zero chance for a final. I think he has known for weeks that he wasn't getting selected but has continued to put in an appearance on the track in some discomfort.

In the end it wasn't a smart signing but an educated gamble and it hasn't paid off.

I wish him well and hope one of our other educated gambles comes off.

agreed, he plays in last years GF and we win that.

 

[jackcass]

Yeah we all have crystal balls to know when a career ending foot injury is lying in wait months down the track don't we?

PFFFT.

If Reid had played 19 games this year at the same level as Wells in his last season at the Roos though you suddenly have a very different discussion.

 

[jackcass]

I think a huge amount of posters at the time bemoaned the length of Wells contract for a player well over 30 who had missed a huge amount of Footy over the past 3 years (before we got him)

People never cease to amaze me. One of the all time greats retires and all they seem interested in is wheeling out the "I told you so" line as though they're some sort of genius. His recruitment was always a risk, no one ever doubted that.

Doesn't change the fact that he was worth the punt. We'd just lost Swanny to a freak injury and Wells was the best available short term replacement for zero trade cost. All the discussion pre his recruitment was specific to soft tissue injuries, not the freak contact injuries that derailed his last 2 years at the club so I'm not sure why people seem to feel that these injuries validate anything said prior to his recruitment.

Wells was an absolute jet that sadly we got to see too infrequently in our colours and that's what we should lament.

His efforts to return from the knee were never quite realised but should be no less lauded. Another couple of weeks and who knows what might have been.

Was always a pleasure to watch him play, good luck to him in his retirement.

 

[Pragmatic Shill]

Pickers said this morning he's had a few setbacks in the past couple of weeks with his knee that meant he wouldn't be eligible for selection, hence the immediate retirement.

 

[CFC2010]

 

[Saintly Viewed]

Glad that's over
Will never think of him as a Collingwood player

That’s a little bit more about you than Daniel.

 

[Saintly Viewed]

Quality person.

Such a joy when he was up and about as a player.

Everything you hear he was a real role model behind the scenes. Good man.

 

[augie]

Many on here crowing about how they knew Wells'recruitment would be a disaster and celebrating their own intelligence. I assume you will be just as willing to say where you stood on the Mayne recruitment?