STAND-IN Bulldogs skipper Easton Wood hurt his troublesome left ankle during the team’s against-the-odds victory over West Coast, but says he will be available to play in next weekend’s semi-final.

The marking defender injured the ankle against Essendon in round 22, forcing him to miss the Bulldogs’ unexpected loss against Fremantle in Perth.

But he made a quick recovery and was important against the Eagles, without being spectacular.

Resilient Dogs stand tall

Wood’s ankle was put on ice immediately after the match, as he sat alongside distressed team-mate Lin Jong – another victim of the Western Bulldogs’ appalling injury run in 2016.

Wood said he was ecstatic with the result, especially after the Bulldogs midfield was forced to do without Jong from half-way through the second quarter.

“I think the strength of our team when we’ve played well over the course of the year, is that we’ve had 22 even contributors and looking around the room now, I can’t see anyone who didn’t contribute or have good moments in the game,” he said.

“If we always do that, we’ll be in pretty good stead.

“We had some special plays from a lot of different guys and they all add up. I just feel like the boys complemented each other so well tonight and I’m stoked.”

Every Bulldog rated

The victory was the Bulldogs’ first win in a final outside Victoria and Wood said it was especially sweet because of the club’s recent record in Perth.

“I’ve had some tough days here at Subiaco and we knew we were going to have our work cut out for us coming up here,” he said.

“They have played so well for the last month in some big games, so to knock them off on their home deck is huge.”

He said he was looking forward to returning to Melbourne for a match-up against Geelong or Hawthorn.

And he hoped the Bulldogs would get a clear run with injuries for the rest of the season, though the players had developed a tight bond while dealing with adversity in 2016.

GAME BREAKER Daniel a Rising Star nonetheless

“Every year has its challenges and with a young group, their ability to respond and take those challenges head-on has been a real strength,” he said.

“The more adversity you face, the stronger you are forced to become, and in a funny way it could have helped us.

“The boys are so strong now, we are not too fazed by what’s going on outside or blokes injured here or there, we just find a way.”