North Melbourne coach Brad Scott is confident that Daniel Wells will stay at Arden Street despite reports linking the silky midfielder to the new Gold Coast club.

The 25-year-old, who was acquired with the second pick overall in the 2002 national draft, is yet to re-sign with the Kangaroos, but Scott believes a deal will be done eventually.

"I've had good discussions with Wellsy and Wellsy's feeling terrific about his footy," said Scott at Arden Street on Thursday.

"My focus is on creating a super environment for our players and if I succeed at that I couldn't imagine any player wanting to leave."

"I'm not concerned about Wellsy's future, he'll come to a decision in his own time."

"Until he signs his contract I suppose it's not over but I'm really confident that he's happy and really, we're desperate to keep him."

Wells, who strained a quad muscle in the warm-up to last Saturday night's clash with Essendon, is one of four players facing fitness tests on Thursday.

Scott was hopeful rather than confident that Wells, along with Lindsay Thomas (knee), Daniel Pratt (hamstring) and Scott McMahon (knee) would get up for Sunday's assignment against the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium.

"It's very difficult to lodge a team by five o'clock today when we play Sunday but we've just got to make sure they get through a full session unscathed and make a decision from there," said Scott.

"We won't take any risks with Wells."

"He feels really good now but the problem often is with quads that you often injure them when you're kicking full distance and it's very difficult to test for that because you don't want him to kick full distance in a fitness test and then tear it again."

"We'll err on the side of caution with him."

Scott confirmed that defensive midfielder Marcus White would be elevated from the rookie list and named in the club's extended squad of 25 for Sunday's match.

Scott said he doesn't expect a repeat of the fireworks that erupted between full-back Scott Thompson and veteran forward Barry Hall in the most recent clash between the 'Roos and Dogs in Round 9 this season.

"We had a pretty long conversation about the way he wanted to approach his footy and the way he wanted to be perceived and the way we as a club wanted to be perceived," said Scott of Thompson.

"Since then his footy's been terrific, he's been a model defender for us, he's competed really well defensively and he's given us a lot of drive offensively."

"There's no need to speak to him specifically other than, as I do every week, speak to him about his role for the side."

"There'll be nothing in relation to the Bulldogs or Barry Hall as such."