North Melbourne midfielder Daniel Wells says the AFL club is embracing the pressure of what could be a finals-shaping Friday night clash with Carlton.

With the ninth-placed Blues and 11th-placed Kangaroos both only percentage outside the top eight, it looms as a classic eight-point game.

After ninth-placed finishes for the past two years, Wells acknowledged the Kangaroos’ only Friday night clash this year would be crucial to going a step further.

“We’re looking forward to this week – Friday night against a team that’s in the same position as us on the ladder,” Wells told reporters on Tuesday.

“Whoever wins this one is going to obviously be on top of the other one, so it’s pretty simple – we’re looking forward to it.”

“It’s obviously extremely important.

“All the teams (in that position), there’s a bit of pressure on.

“But it’s all in our hands.”

The Kangaroos are enjoying a strong run of form, having followed up three straight wins with Saturday’s two-point loss to second-placed West Coast.

It was the third match this year North have lost by two points, having also done so against Essendon in round one and Port Adelaide in round eight.

Against the Power, as with the Eagles clash, they let slip a big lead.

Wells suggested the club’s frenetic playing style might be a factor in some poor finishes to games.

But he said the heroic last term from West Coast ruckman Dean Cox on Saturday could not be ignored.

“On the weekend, we just ran out of legs a bit,” Wells said.

“We’ve had three or four weeks of pretty high-intensity footy.

“Coxy came in and took the game away from us.

“Apart from that, the way we play is high speed.”