LESS than seven months after he re-signed for the 2015 season, Easton Wood has re-signed with the Western Bulldogs again, this time for another three years.
Wood told AFL.com.au on Wednesday that he had signed a one-year extension at the end of last season because both he and the Bulldogs wanted to ensure his body could stand up to the rigours of AFL football long-term.
One full pre-season and two very good games later, the 25-year-old defender and the Bulldogs had no hesitation agreeing to a new deal that will keep him at the Whitten Oval until the end of 2018.
Bulldogs take bold approach on CEO appointment
Wood had been set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season but said he was never tempted to field offers from rival clubs.
Wood has been plagued by soft-tissue injuries – mainly to his hamstrings – since joining the Bulldogs at pick No.43 in the 2007 NAB AFL Draft, with a serious hamstring tear limiting him to just five games in 2013.
But he rebounded last year to play a career-high 18 matches before a broken hand ended his season in round 20.
Nonetheless, Wood was not prepared to take his improved run of fitness for granted.
"Towards the end of last year there was just some concerns – both my own and the club's – about how my body was going to hold up," Wood said.
"Previously to that deal I'd had a vast array of injuries, hamstring injuries had kept me out for the season before, so at that point signing a one-year deal we felt was just a bit better to make sure I could prove the fitness of my body and make sure that I was worth a three-year deal.
"I'm just rapt that that's come through and played out that way.
"I'm just absolutely rapt to get it out of the way this early in the year and to be locked up for the next few years."
Wood's newfound confidence in his body has been hard-won.
He lost some weight two years ago in an attempt to take some of the stress off his legs.
He underwent a full biomechanical assessment of his running gait that revealed he had a tendency to overstride, something he has since worked hard to correct.
And, above all, he focused on building strength at the top his hamstrings.
"It's been a pretty long process … but it seems to have worked quite well," Wood said.
Wood is understandably excited by the Bulldogs' impressive 2-0 start to 2015 under new coach Luke Beveridge.
"He obviously has us playing a more positive brand of footy, (encourages us to) keep the ball moving, which has been great, and I think that has let all the young boys' natural talents show out," he says.
Wood, too, has been given more licence to attack from half-back this season.
He has made the most of it, racking up 20 touches against Richmond last round to be among the Bulldogs' best players.
Easton Wood (right) celebrates a goal with his teammates against the Eagles. Picture: AFL Media
And after kicking seven goals in his 65 games before this year, Wood has kicked a goal in both matches this season.
"I think you can pencil me in for one (goal) a game for the next 18 rounds or so," Wood joked.
"I happened to be in position closing exits up the ground and I've just been lucky I guess."
Wood has also been freed up by the development of young Bulldogs key defenders such as Michael Talia, who has released him from playing on taller and stronger opponents.
"Last year I was probably playing as that third tall and getting outsized a fair bit," Wood says.
"It's nice to have 'Tals' who's about 10kg heavier (than me) and a bit taller to take that role on so I can play a bit smaller."
The Bulldogs have opened the season with wins against West Coast and Richmond, but face their biggest test this Sunday when they venture to Launceston's Aurora Stadium to play reigning premier Hawthorn.
Beveridge was an assistant coach at Hawthorn prior to joining the Bulldogs, but while he has been able to pass on his knowledge of the Hawks' game style in the lead-up to Sunday's match his old team hasn't been his major focus this week.
"Luke's said a few things about the way they play and what they've done but as with other weeks the focus has been completely on what we do," Wood says.
"I've been really impressed with the way we don't get caught up on the opposition. It's just been about what we do and the way we play."
The Bulldogs' impressive start to 2015 has largely been built on their defensive pressure, with Beveridge's young pups out-tackling West Coast 94-76 and Richmond 73-51.
Wood is confident the Dogs can continue to play the bully against the battle-hardened Hawks.
"It will be a great test to see where we're at," he says.
"They're the yardstick of the competition but it was proven last week that they are beatable, so we're really looking forward to that challenge."
