Sam Wright has inked a one-year deal with North Melbourne, after making an impressive return following 701 days on the sidelines.

The rebounding defender recovered from foot and ankle injuries to play 16 games.

North GM football Cameron Joyce said it hasn’t been easy for Wright, but believes the worst now looks behind him.

“Sam showed some great resilience in getting back to play senior footy and showed why he is so important to the team,” Joyce said.

“He put a tremendous amount of time in the gym and with our medical team, so it was great to see him come back with such an impact after an extended period out of the game.

“Sam has shown great determination and we’ll be excited to see him build on his year with an uninterrupted pre-season.”

Wright has played 132 games in the royal blue and white stripes, with his season highlights including Round 15 against Essendon (21 disposals, 11 marks) and Round 23 against St Kilda (29 disposals, 8 marks).