By LIAM TWOMEY
AFTER just one season at Williamstown, Cameron Wood is back in the AFL system following his selection by Carlton in last week’s rookie draft. Wood will be reunited with former coach Michael Malthouse at the Blues.
In his first stint at the AFL, the 204cm Wood was drafted by the Brisbane Lions with the 18th pick in the 2004 national draft.
After 16 games with the Lions, he was traded to Collingwood where he stayed on the Magpies’ list for five seasons and played in 48 games.
“It is starting to sink in now that I am here,” Wood said at his first official press conference as a Blue.
“My head has been going a million miles an hour for the last 24 hours. I’ve been getting messages and calls from probably everyone I’ve ever met. Everyone is pretty excited. My mum, she has texted me about 45 times. I’m still in shock.
“I spoke to Shane Rogers on Friday night. He just rang me, it was a random number (and I) didn’t answer it, but got the voicemail. I listened to it and thought it was a prank. I Googled Shane Rogers to make sure he was the recruiting manager at Carlton.”
Wood played in 20 matches for the Seagulls in the 2013 season and was one of the standout ruckmen in the VFL competition.
He kicked 11 goals and was named in the Williamstown’s best players on 10 occasions including two of the club’s three finals.
Seagulls football manager Chris Dixon said the club was delighted to see Wood picked up.
“It’s great reward for him and recognition of his form throughout the year. In his own words Cam had his most consistent (season) to date and established himself as one of the best VFL-listed ruckmen in the competition.”
“Cam was extremely popular with his team-mates and will be sorely missed, but we’re very excited to have another player taken after our success last year in the rookie draft. It reflects well on our club and our environment having been able to give our players opportunities at the next level.”
Wood joins a growing list of players drafted into the AFL system from the Seagulls in recent years.
The 2012 rookie draft saw Brett Goodes and Jack Frost end up on AFL lists while former Williamstown player Dane Rampe was also selected.
