Easton Wood says he will start Round 1 as a forward despite modest pre-season form

WESTERN Bulldogs captain Easton Wood says he will start Round 1 as a forward despite mixed JLT form in attack while there’s mixed news for Jordan Roughead and Liam Picken.

WESTERN Bulldogs captain Easton Wood says he will start Round 1 as a forward despite mixed JLT form in attack.

But while Jordan Roughead has recovered from a heavy fall on Saturday, Liam Picken is still recovering from his latest concussion.

Wood has spent the summer training as a forward and while he has kicked three goals he has won only 12 possessions in two games.

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Former captain Bob Murphy said this week he would return the brilliant defensive interceptor to defence but Wood says he be a forward in Round 1.

“That’s the plan. I have got defence up my sleeve, I can always go back there and whether Bevo (Luke Beveridge) would do that as a swingman thing or in response to an injury, but the plan is to be a forward,’’ he said.

“I have played ten years in defence and it’s been great to get that different perspective and I have learnt a lot and garnered an appreciation for the challenges forwards face.

Easton Wood tackles Jaeger O'Meara during the JLT Series.

“I have shown enough in the pre-season that Bevo is confident I can be effective during the season with it and the more time I get the better I will be.”

“I sat down with Bevo at the start of the pre-season. He loves versatility in guys and having new strings to your bow. He challenged me to add one to mine.

“The more time I get, the better I will be. I am really enjoying the new challenges.”

The Dogs have the weekend off ahead of the Round 1 clash against arch-rival GWS, but before that have an important session on Friday.

Roughead twisted awkwardly on the Moe centre square against Collingwood and missed the second half as a precaution.

But Picken hasn’t played since being concussed in a marking collision with Josh Dunkley in the first JLT clash and is no certainty to be fit for the GWS clash.

Jordan Roughead in action against Collingwood in Moe.

“It was a nasty little fall (Roughead) took with the way he twisted but he’s pulled up pretty well and we have got a full match practice session tomorrow and I am sure he will be part of that.”

Picken also suffered a bad concussion in last year’s contest against Fremantle and will be managed conservatively.

“It was pretty scary with like any concussion, and I was right next to Liam when it happened on the ground,” Wood told reporters.

“He’s had a couple of bad ones already. He has been in every day in the initial stage of the recovery. He’s had really short days.

“I think he’s doing OK and should be back all right, but whether that’s playing Round 1, I’m not sure.”