Western Bulldogs veteran Easton Wood has announced his retirement from the AFL.
The 32-year old will be remembered as one of just two premiership captains in the club’s history, having famously stepped in for injured skipper Robert Murphy in the Dogs’ fairytale run to the 2016 flag.
Wood also won a club best and fairest and All Australian selection in a career-best 2015, before taking over from Murphy as full-time captain for the 2018 and 2019 seasons.
The veteran defender had a year to run on his contract, but selflessly chose to pull up stumps early due to concerns over whether his body could handle the rigours of another season at the highest level.
“If I felt like I was just rocking up to get a paycheque knowing that ‘jeez at any moment if I pinged a string or I got dropped that I could just pull the pin’ and leave the club high and dry, I’d feel sick about that,” Wood told The Age.
“I don’t think I’d be able to ever reconcile that, no matter how much was coming back the other way.”
Soft-tissue injuries were a regular occurrence for Wood throughout his 188-game career. Only once, in 2019, did he manage a fully uninterrupted season, while he missed 11 weeks during 2021 after suffering a serious hamstring injury against Port Adelaide in Round 9.
He was part of a defence that was ripped apart by Melbourne in the second half of this year’s grand final, with Bayley Fritsch – Wood’s opponent for much of the match – booting six goals. He said in a statement that a desire to “finish on my own terms” was a key factor in his decision to hang up the boots now.
“Whilst it’s been difficult to confront, the reality is I’ve athletically declined,” Wood said.
“I wanted to finish up on my own terms and I felt that if I declined further next year, I wouldn’t have that opportunity.
“I’m proud to go out as a member of the team and being part of an amazing run to get to the grand final.”
Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge, who helped transform Wood from dour stopper to, at his peak, the leading intercept marker in the game, lauded Wood’s career and his impact on the Bulldogs’ rise up the ladder in his first years in charge.
“We’ve been extremely fortunate to have Easton as part of our organisation for as long as we have,” he said in a statement.
“Easton has left a lasting impression on everyone associated with the Club, and we’re better for having worked with him.
“Not only was he meticulous in his preparation and yearned to maximise his potential as a professional athlete, but he succeeded in being an influential leader and he always spent the time to make others better.”
According to Beveridge, COVID-19 restrictions prevented Wood from being able to farewell his teammates and the club in person.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
You should try Byron B00b
Naughty's Headband
Roar Rookie
Hopefully Buku can get a decent crack at it. He’s very similar to Wodd athletically.
Luke
Guest
haha. You cant compare Wood with O'Brien. No offence to O'Brien, but hes barely half as good as Wood. This is coming from a Hawthorn supporter. He had so much potential O'Brien, but is average at best.
Thom Roker
Roar Guru
Jarrad was a lot of things, but number 5 draft pick was a career killer.
Thom Roker
Roar Guru
Vossy got injured in round 11, but the damage had been done. Lethal had to come in to set things to rights.
Chanon
Roar Rookie
Jarrad Grant was a top bloke they probably got along off-field one mate looking after another :thumbup: At the expense of the team
Thom Roker
Roar Guru
Scott Clayton was brilliant at Brisbane, although he had kept some list cloggers and was forced to mostly forego the 1996 draft to incorporate the 8 Fitzroy players. The cleanout after he left made room for players like Mal Michael, Martin Pike and Ash McGrath with the picks they traded for. Kinnear Beetson was his right hand man and took over beautifully. At the Bulldogs, Clayton went at times from the sublime to the ridiculous. Remember Microphone-head? Clayton not only drafted Spindleshanks Jarrad Grant at number 5, but recruited him again to the Suns. The majority of Clayton's list had moved on with Eade's departure and only a handful of players were still around for the 2016 flag. At the Suns, Clayton did what he could with what he had. Some decisions ended up being lauded at the time, then detested down later, such as the mini-drafts where he gave huge chunks of the Suns 2nd and 3rd year list building picks to GWS in exchange for a pair of 17yo kids who couldn't play in their first year and ended up demanding to be traded. He was genius enough to draft Touk Miller at 29, although he had already picked Peter Wright at 8 (missed Lachie Weller at 13) whiffed on Jarrod Garlett at 15. Flawed genius
Chanon
Roar Rookie
I think Thom would disapprove your just giving our mate ammunition!
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
It’s no joke that that was the best wooden spoon side in the past few decades
Chanon
Roar Rookie
Well you would get distracted on the Goldcoast :silly:
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
Nah he hasn’t been bad by any means at the suns he just hasn’t had the sport
Chanon
Roar Rookie
Scott Clayton was known as the Guru until he went to the Suns :stoked:
Thom Roker
Roar Guru
There goes the last of Scott Clayton's draft picks for the Bulldogs. One of his better picks over 4 clubs and 30 drafts. Ironic that his next pick will be the easiest of his entire career and possibly best ever. What he did with the Bears list was nothing short of genius with Voss, Akermanis, Lappin, Leppitsch, the Scott brothers, Lynch, only for the club to suffer a poor season in 1998 after the Lions merger and Clayton was fired despite having put together and amazing list. Still plenty of inspired Clayton picks playing at the Suns, but also a lot of washouts. Flawed genius.
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
Easton wood did well to take the bulldogs from the doldrums to premiership glory.
Chanon
Roar Rookie
True mate & hopefully Buku can put on some pounds & play CHB
Clear as mud
Guest
yeah, there's a bit of me that wonders whether they would have won that year, with Murph on the park. his absence gave them symbolism. he was 34 and a good not great player by then. fabulous guy and thinker and real good player in his time. love his media work, his rock and roll, his charity work. but it's like saying Rance should have been up on stage in 2019. to me at least. sure most others won't agree. so please don't pile on. it's just a vague opinon, delivered gently. the Dogs can write their own history. Murphy is a huge part of that. always was, always will be. -- but the team of 2016, they played 22 games without him, they deserve that moment. so, well done, Easton Wood, and the impossibly brunette hair.
DingoGray
Roar Guru
Will forever be iconic figure at the Doggies. Definitely think he's gone at the right time considering his injuries worries through out his career. I'm sure he not lost to the industry though. Will walk into a development / welfare role.
Ace
Roar Rookie
Great career. Will be missed. Possibly O'Brien can be a CHB leaving Cordy as third tall backed up by their smaller good player in Daniel, Dale and Duryea
Macca
Roar Rookie
I forgot you picked O'brien up, seems a good like for like replacement
pablocruz
Roar Rookie
No shock at all. Has been a great servant for the Dogs but I felt he was no longer best 22 this year. Congrats on a good career. Certainly got the most out of yourself.