Matthew Boyd fighting to start Western Bulldogs’ flag defence after suffering severe ear laceration

DEFENDER Matthew Boyd is fighting to be ready for the start of the Western Bulldogs’ flag defence after suffering an ear laceration that’s been likened to a dog bite.

WESTERN Bulldogs defender Matthew Boyd is wearing a helmet in a bid to prove his fitness for Friday week’s Round 1 game against Collingwood because of an ear ­laceration a club doctor ­likened to a dog bite.

Boyd suffered the injury in last Thursday night’s JLT Community Series game against Gold Coast when the point of Peter Wright’s elbow accidentally connected with his right ear.

The impact caused a tear that required ­reconstructive surgery.

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Speaking for the first time about the injury, the 34-year-old said the collision left him bloodied and dazed, and he is grateful for the care of medical staff and surgeons.

“I just went back with the flight of the ball,’’ Boyd told the Herald Sun.

“I knew there was a contest there, but I was committed to it. ‘Two-Metre Peter’ Wright was about a metre higher than me and he came straight down on my ear (with his elbow). It just sort of burst open the ear.

“I was a bit dazed after that, but the doctor (Gary Zimmerman) and the trainer Frankie were out there pretty quickly.

Matthew Boyd is left dazed after suffering a serious ear injury against the Suns last week. Picture: Getty Images

“I had a towel over my head (in the rooms) and there was a lot of blood.

“I was lying (down) and ‘Zimmer’ was talking about it and saying it looked like a dog bite, and I was like, ‘I can hear you. I am not deaf’.’’

“It was throbbing. It felt like it was hanging (off), even though it probably wasn’t,” Boyd said.

Boyd was operated on that night and has seen a surgeon every second day as part of a rehabilitation geared to playing in Round 1.

He will have the stitches for the next few weeks, but when he asked the surgeon how many there were, he was told: “Don’t ask. There were too many of them to count.”

Boyd wore a rugby union helmet that ­covers the ears to training for the first time ­on Wednesday. He will probably wear it for at least a month.

“I’m fine to wear it ... if the difference of wearing it and not wearing it is potentially losing the top half of your ear,” he said.

“We’ve got CD (Caleb Daniel) who is a little jet in his helmet. The boys had a bit of a laugh about it, but I’ve tried it out now and feel fine.”

Matthew Boyd celebrating last year’s premiership success. Picture: Getty Images

It’s the first time he has donned a helmet since he was a kid at Narre Warren and his mother made him wear one if he wanted to play.

Boyd missed the first two pre-season games ­because of knee soreness. He played three quarters against the Suns and hopes he will have enough condition to play next week.

“I am training like I will play (in Round 1),” Boyd said.

“I had a couple of days on light duties, but I’ve trained (Wednesday) and I will train again on Friday.

“Because (the injury) is all cartilage, it is going to be sensitive for a while. I can’t sleep on my side yet and can’t roll over on it. I have to wear a bit of a headband to go to bed. It’s nothing major, just a bit of a flesh wound.”