CAMPERDOWN’S unluckiest AFL export Easton Wood has made a reluctant return home to recover from yet another injury.
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The young Western Bulldogs running defender completed a dream pre-season and was raring to go for round one on Sunday against Essendon.
But the injury-prone 21-year-old’s plans of a sparkling opening match came unstuck in the final quarter when he landed awkwardly when trying to spoil a mark.
“I don’t remember much but I remember the pain,” he told The Standard yesterday.
“It was excruciating. But it’s all still a bit blurry.”
Wood was running back to spoil the ball when he planted his foot on an uneven surface, which he thinks was another player’s shoe.
“It just went snap,” he said.
“It didn’t hit me how bad it was until I got off the ground and they took my boot off.
“It was like a soccer ball on my foot and the joint was very loose.”
Within hours Wood was whisked away from the Docklands stadium to hospital, where he had reconstructive surgery on his dislocated ankle.
He has been ruled out of action for eight weeks.
“It’s not ideal (but) it’s just a matter of taking it in,” he said.
“It’s early days now. But I’ve had so much support from my family and my teammates, it was a bit overwhelming.
“So that side of it has been really good.”
The injury is a huge blow for the athletic Wood, who was steadily making a name for himself in coach Rodney Eade’s defence line.
Wood was also celebrating his promising summer on the track.
“It was the best pre-season I’ve ever had,” he said.
“It was the first pre-season that I’ve gone through unscathed, without a hiccup.
“That’s why it is so disappointing.”
The former Geelong Grammar sport scholarship holder was drafted to the Bulldogs at the end of 2007 after impressing talent scouts in the Associate Public School Football program.
But reconstructions of his right and left shoulders prevented Wood from making his AFL debut until round 19 in 2009.
He was named an emergency seven times last year before finally breaking into the line-up in round 12.
Wood then played nine consecutive games but was sidelined for three weeks with a hamstring injury.
He returned for the Bulldogs’ last two finals matches, courageously playing the preliminary showdown against St Kilda with broken ribs.
“I’ve had so many injuries,” he said.
“I don’t have any luck. But I’m keen to get back as soon as I can.”
Wood, who received the Bulldogs’ most promising player award at the end of last season, is now on bed rest in Camperdown.
He has to keep his ankle elevated for at least a week before moving the joint and will eventually try some weight-bearing exercises.
Then he will work on regaining his fitness.
Wood said he was grateful to have his mother, Fiona, by his side.
“She’s a nurse so she’s well qualified,” he laughed.
The Bulldogs will attempt to earn some respect against Brisbane Lions this weekend, which will also be without south-west graduates Jonathan Brown (face, eight weeks) and Matt Maguire (quad, one week).
Wood said the round-one loss to the Bombers was doubly demoralising for him.
“I wasn’t playing well,” he said.
“That’s another frustrating thing.
“I have to wait eight weeks to redeem myself.”
Other south-west exports on the AFL injury list include first-year Geelong player Billie Smedts (back, one week) and Melbourne’s Jordie McKenzie (groin, five weeks).
mrooth@standard.fairfax.com.au
