Re: Kreuzer VS Warnock VS Wood - How Will This One Play Out ??
Reply #19 –
I think Blueseum's profile of Cameron Wood sums up what 2014 holds for him:
In one of the biggest surprises of the 2013 AFL Rookie Draft, Carlton selected 27 year-old former Brisbane and Collingwood ruckman Cameron Wood in the second round, at number 28 overall. After being delisted by Collingwood in 2012, Wood had enjoyed a solid 2013 in the VFL with Williamstown, but few expected him to be given a third opportunity at elite level.
However, the departure of Shaun Hampson to Richmond a few weeks earlier had forced the Blues to re-assess their stock of big men, so Wood was picked up as insurance against long-term injury to Matthew Kreuzer, Robert Warnock and Levi Casboult. Although another ex-Collingwood ruckman – the vastly-experienced Premiership player Darren Jolly – was also available, Carlton’s recruiting team opted for the younger man, largely because he had already established a strong rapport with Blues coach Mick Malthouse during their five seasons together in black and white.
Way back in 2004, Wood had been working his way up through the ranks at West Adelaide when he was drafted for the first time. The Brisbane Lions called his name at number 18 in the National Draft, and Cameron packed his bags for the tropics. He played his first senior game early in 2005, but from then on his opportunities were limited and, despite gaining a Rising Star nomination in round 2, 2007, he had played only 16 matches in three seasons before he was traded to Collingwood later that same year.
Wood went on to play another 48 games for the Magpies between 2008 and 2012, although he was never able to shake the tag of back-up ruckman and his entire career in black and white was spent in the shadows of Josh Fraser, Darren Jolly, Leigh Brown and Chris Dawes. In October 2012, Collingwood delisted Wood, so he crossed to Williamstown in the VFL and enjoyed perhaps his most effective season as he helped lift the Seagulls into a Preliminary Final.
Upon his arrival at Princes Park, Cameron credited his previous good relationship with Malthouse and high performance manager David Buttifant as the key to his recruitment. He knows that the challenge facing him at Carlton is huge, but is also determined to give it his best shot. "I'm under no illusions that I've been recruited as insurance,” he said during an early interview. “But if I didn't think I could play the number one ruck role, I wouldn't waste people's time and be here for the sake of being here."
I'm with IOT on this one; it would be bizarre for Wood to play unless we lose one of Warnock and Kreuzer, and Casboult and Rowe aren't performing.