Easton Wood was amazing vs North. It is:

[mjp]

Best game I have seen him play for - well - let's just go with a long time.

Is it the sign of things to come or the 'first game back bounce' we see so often before a player reverts to 'the norm' through the rest of the year.

[Dancin' Douggy]

He just looked magnificent last night. So refreshing and exciting. He was just jumping out of his skin. Was so great to see.

[Go_Dogs]

Freedom to play the right role and also finally over the lower leg troubles that hampered him since post 2016 really - has his spring back. Great to see.

[1eyedog]

As others have alluded to having a quality big man down there has certainly given him renewed confidence. That and the natural improvement of Cordy. Easton has all the natural attributes in the world it is always in between the ears with him. Trialling him forward in early 19 certainly didn't help him to recapture his 2016 form.

Last night he was able to concentrate his efforts to where he is needed most and the ability of Williams and Crozier both in the air and on the ground helps.

[Twodogs]

Best game I have seen him play for - well - let's just go with a long time.

Is it the sign of things to come or the 'first game back bounce' we see so often before a player reverts to 'the norm' through the rest of the year.

Playing a different role with better match ups in our defensive half suits him I reckon. Same with Cordy not struggling with monsters feasting on quick delivery into our D50. With Keath and English lurking around half back chopping off that fast kick from their mids everybody has gone back to a role they are better at.

Easton was able to take uncontested (and contested) marks deeper in defence when North tried the longer kick over Keath and English's heads. Cordy could just concentrate on beating his direct opponent and as he got more confident started to counter attack himself. Even the traditional one time he got caught out on his left foot wasn't a complete disaster because he didn't panic and kicked it torward Keath who marked it.

[Mofra]

He can play his best role and as mentioned elsewhere our mids set up a bit more defensively as well which means the opposition F50 entries seen a bit "higher"

[bornadog]

Freedom to play the right role and also finally over the lower leg troubles that hampered him since post 2016 really - has his spring back. Great to see.

People forget after the finals in 2016, Easton had to have major ankle surgery . This no doubt hampered him for a long period, especially his leap.

Last night the leap was back. Hopefully he can play like tat for the rest of the season.

[1eyedog]

Playing a different role with better match ups in our defensive half suits him I reckon. Same with Cordy not struggling with monsters feasting on quick delivery into our D50. With Keath and English lurking around half back chopping off that fast kick from their mids everybody has gone back to a role they are better at.

Easton was able to take uncontested (and contested) marks deeper in defence when North tried the longer kick over Keath and English's heads. Cordy could just concentrate on beating his direct opponent and as he got more confident started to counter attack himself. Even the traditional one time he got caught out on his left foot wasn't a complete disaster because he didn't panic and kicked it torward Keath who marked it.

Yep it certainly helps a player of Wood's calibre when the other five blokes have / are developing such a positive synergy.

I'm actually quite surprised how quickly Keath has adapted to our defensive structure and how much of a leader he appears already. Intelligent footballer.

[Mofra]

Yep it certainly helps a player of Wood's calibre when the other five blokes have / are developing such a positive synergy.

I'm actually quite surprised how quickly Keath has adapted to our defensive structure and how much of a leader he appears already. Intelligent footballer.
In terms of "quality person" we could have hardly found a better trade target. He's actually got a lot of western suburbs in him as he has family and mates around the Williamstown area.

[Twodogs]

In terms of "quality person" we could have hardly found a better trade target. He's actually got a lot of western suburbs in him as he has family and mates around the Williamstown area.

Didn't know that. Same surname do you know Mof?

[Happy Days]

In terms of "quality person" we could have hardly found a better trade target. He's actually got a lot of western suburbs in him as he has family and mates around the Williamstown area.

I love what he's bringing to the side. There's his obvious quality as a player, but he's got an intensity that probably only Libba can match in the 22. He's also far better one on one than advertised, and think that criticism coming from the Crows was controlling the narrative before it could control them.

As an aside; how on earth do you pay Walker and the Crouch bros (and Sloane if I'm being honest) huge money and then have the nerve to turn around and say that an actual good AA level key defender is not worth a market value (probably even under) contract?

[Mofra]

I love what he's bringing to the side. There's his obvious quality as a player, but he's got an intensity that probably only Libba can match in the 22. He's also far better one on one than advertised, and think that criticism coming from the Crows was controlling the narrative before it could control them.

As an aside; how on earth do you pay Walker and the Crouch bros (and Sloane if I'm being honest) huge money and then have the nerve to turn around and say that an actual good AA level key defender is not worth a market value (probably even under) contract?
Keath would have stayed of they offered him more than two years too. They have all serious issues at the crows. I don't think we will be big traders the next two years but I still like Rory Atkins as a FA if we're looking to free experience. We'll lose a couple of senior blokes at the end of this year

[comrade]

We'll lose a couple of senior blokes at the end of this year

Who you thinking? Dicko & Suckling?

[comrade]

I think(pray!) that combination of playing a more suitable role, and no longer having the burden of the captaincy will give us 2-3 more years of quality footy from Easton.

I had him just outside our best 22, but if last night is what we can expect from him, he's not only one of the first picked, he's critical to our flag chances.

[kruder]

The pressure of the Captaincy got to him there is no doubt about it. You can see it in his face he actually looks like he is enjoying himself again. Even in a recent interview on FOX( during lockdown) he gave more than he ever has and did it with a smile on his face.

You can see it with the Bont's body language atm he is just struggling to adjust. He will get there by doing what he has always done, not by what a captain, in theory, should do.

[Eastdog]

Great game from Easton last night. Really enjoyed that famous intercept marking he is known for.

[bornadog]

Great game from Easton last night. Really enjoyed that famous intercept marking he is known for.

Took 6 intercept marks

[ratsmac]

Wood reminded me of the game he played round 1, 2016 against Freo. Well in particular that mark with the flight of the ball. Good things happened that year.

North played into our hands the other night with their delivery into their forward line and Wood was there waiting licking his lips. I'm sure he will gain a lot of confidence with his performance like that.

[Ozza]

It is probably a combination of a number of things - ie. Keath, body, free of captaincy, pressure through the midfield.... But I actually think Easton finished last year quite strongly, was one of the few that played ok in the final and also in our shocker v Collingwood round 1. I think it was mentioned in another thread that he finished higher in the B&F than most would have expected so obviously the coaches were valuing his contributions last year.

[The Doctor]

Wood is a fantastic player. He can make our defence look impregnable at times.

[Bulldog Revolution]

Great thread

Looked super - I thought he was one of our best against Collingwood also and seems to have used the time off to get himself super fit.

[Rocket Science]

Was that the best game Easton's played in three-odd years?

Brazenly launching himself at anything and everything, including the back of poor Keath's scone at one point.

Some newfound confidence in the body and a better staffed + better organised backline crew around him just the tonic. He's a genuine weapon when playing in this vein, welcome back Woody.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Wood is a fantastic player. He can make our defence look impregnable at times.

We forget how good he was during 2015-2016.

I thought he was pretty solid last year, especially in the second half of the season.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

It's also hard to believe that at one time, we tried to turn Wood into a forward.

[GVGjr]

Was that the best game Easton's played in three-odd years?

Brazenly launching himself at anything and everything, including the back of poor Keath's scone at one point.

Some newfound confidence in the body and a better staffed + better organised backline crew around him just the tonic. He's a genuine weapon when playing in this vein, welcome back Woody.

I'd say perhaps as much as 5 years
Maybe the stop start nature of this season has put him into the best shape he's been in since 2015

[comrade]

I liked the effort to launch on top of Goldy's head. Didn't get near it, but the intent was ominous.

[bornadog]

It's also hard to believe that at one time, we tried to turn Wood into a forward.

We were desperate.

[Eastdog]

We were desperate.

Yep experimenting obviously Easton is the best behind the ball as is JJ.

[Bulldog4life]

Bevo said that Woody has a lot of footy left in him. Very impressive game.

[DOG GOD]

There’s a renewed spirit, a light in his eyes I haven’t seen since 2016. He looks fit, he looks agile, he looks excited to be out there.
I really hope his body holds up. A massive cog in our defence.