Western Bulldogs defender Easton Wood has gone from unnoticed to unstoppable in one season

PORT Adelaide will need to be precise in the crunch game against the Western Bulldogs, because The Interceptor - Easton Wood - will be ready to pounce on anything less than perfect. Andrew Capel reports.

JUSTIN Westhoff knows a thing or two about taking intercept marks.

When the Port Adelaide key forward/utility is often thrust into the backline to stop an opposition side’s run-on, he stands out like a beacon with his ability to cut off attacks.

So when he describes a rival defender as “an incredible mark and a bit of a linchpin in their backline’’ you stand up and take notice.

“We’ll have to have a good look at him,’’ Westhoff said of Western Bulldogs backman Easton Wood, who poses a major threat to the Power keeping its finals hopes alive at Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

“He’s in really good form and he’s cut us up a few times before, so he’ll be watched closely by us for sure.’’

The player who until this year had managed just 65 games in seven injury-riddled seasons and looked like being a lost talent is the AFL’s new intercept king.

Wood, 25, leads the league in the important categories of intercept marks and general interceptions and has become integral to the Dogs’ incredible success under rookie coach Luke Beveridge, which has them poised to play finals for the first time since 2010.

The high-leaping and sure-handed Wood, not overly tall at 186cm but possessing a gazelle-like leap, has taken nine more intercept marks than any other player this season.

His 62 leads West Coast’s Jeremy McGovern by nine and Essendon’s Cale Hooker by 10.

Wood also is elite at sharking ground balls and handballs.

His 129 total interceptions are three more than the next-best interceptor, GWS half-back running machine Heath Shaw.

Star Richmond full back Alex Rance, who will be out to thwart the Crows and their captain Taylor Walker at Adelaide Oval tonight, ranks third with 126.

Wood not only repels opposition attacks but he turns them into gold for his team.

The athletic 2007 third-round draft pick from Geelong Grammar ranks second in the league in points scored from intercepts with 116 — 14 behind Eagle Sharrod Wellingham.

Beveridge has described the form of Wood — who has gone from unnoticed to unstoppable this year — as being “off the charts’’.

“His work has been great all year and has been benchmark stuff,’’ Beveridge said.

“His timing is impeccable at the moment, whether he’s marking or spoiling or whatever it may be.’’

Wood’s career-best season has seen him average a career-high 17.4 disposals and 7.3 marks.

He has played 16 of a possible 17 games, missing just the round three clash against Hawthorn, and has hauled in 10 marks or more four times, including a season-best 13 against St Kilda in round 13.

He has reached double figures in disposals in every match he has played this season.

It is a far cry from the forlorn player who two years ago wondered whether he had a career in football at all after continually breaking down with hamstring strains, playing just five games for the year.

“I could see my career slipping away,’’ Wood said.

Not any more.

While young guns Jake Stringer, Marcus Bontempelli, Mitch Wallis and Lachie Hunter and revitalised veterans Robert Murphy and Matthew Boyd have won plaudits for their starring roles in the Dogs’ stellar season, Wood has been the unsung hero.

WOOD WORK

Western Bulldogs defender Easton Wood has gone from unnoticed to unstoppable in one season, leading the league in intercept marks and intercept possessions to play a starring role in the Dogs’ rise from obscurity to AFL Cinderella story.

LEADING INTERCEPT MARK PLAYERS

Easton Wood (WB) 62

Jeremy McGovern (WC) 53

Cale Hooker (Ess) 52

Sean Dempster (SK) 50

Heath Shaw (GWS) 46

Brian Lake (Haw) 45

Luke McPharlin (Frem) 41

Harry Taylor (Geel) 40

Michael Hurley (Ess) 38

Garrick Ibbotson (Frem) 37

Alex Rance (Rich) 37

Heath Grundy (Syd) 36

Josh Gibson (Haw) 35

Mark Baguley (Ess) 34

Jack Hombsch (Port) 34

LEADING INTERCEPTORS (inc marks and ground-balls)

Easton Wood (WB) 129

Heath Shaw (GWS) 126

Alex Rance (Rich) 126

Sean Dempster (SK) 124

Garrick Ibbotson (Frem) 123

Cale Hooker (Ess) 123

Sharrod Wellingham (WC) 119

Jeremy McGovern (WC) 116

Tom Langdon (Coll) 115

Rory Laird (Adel) 114

Brian Lake (Haw) 114

Michael Hurley (Ess) 111

Harry Taylor (Geel) 107

Scott Thompson (NM) 107

Heath Grundy (Syd) 106

POINTS SCORED FROM INTERCEPTS

Sharrod Wellingham (WC) 130

Easton Wood (WB) 116

Troy Chaplin (Rich) 111

Alex Rance (Rich) 99

Nick Haynes (GWS) 95

Dane Rampe (Syd) 93

Sam Wright (NM) 90

Shaun Burgoyne (Haw) 87

Jack Newnes (SK) 86

Garrick Ibbotson (Frem) 85

Tom Langdon (Haw) 85

Jackson Trengove (Port) 84

Harry Taylor (Geel) 82

Kieren Jack (Syd) 82

Jarrad McVeigh (Syd) 77

STANDING TALL

Easton Wood ranks as elite or above average for a defender in five key categories

THE NUMBER

62 — League-leading intercept marks by Easton Wood.