Past #32: Mason Wood - 65 NM games/76 NM goals - delisted end '20 - SSP selection for STK '21 - GL Mase

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http://www.nmfc.com.au/northmelbourne/news/2014-08-28/journey-to-a-debut-mason-wood

Mason Wood will get his chance at AFL football on Saturday after a quality season for Werribee. He will become the ninth player to pull on the blue and white for the first time in 2014.

Wood was selected by North Melbourne with Pick 41 in the 2012 National Draft from the Geelong Falcons. Although he played as a key forward for the Falcons, recruiting manager Bryce Lewis hinted at what was in his future at Arden Street.

“The Falcons didn't have a lot of marking targets inside 50 this year, so perhaps he was required to play as that target,” Lewis said on draft night.

“But he showed during the national championships that he can get up on a wing and really be a creative ball user, bring the ball back inside 50. We think with his running capability, game sense and decision-making he can play up the ground and perform other roles.”

In his first few matches at VFL level for Werribee in 2013, Wood initially took time to adjust to the step up from TAC Cup level. However he leaned on a fellow forward who was experiencing a breakout season for North Melbourne – Aaron Black.

“The way Blacky goes about his footy is sort of how I see myself playing,” Wood told NMFC.com.au in May 2013.

“I learn a lot from watching him, his running patterns… the way he sets up and gets in the right position. He has done really well coming into the side and is playing some really good footy at the moment.”

Just as Wood was running into some consistent form for Werribee, he suffered a shattering blow, ruling him out for the rest of 2013.

"It's basically an old fracture at the bottom of my thigh bone in my leg," Wood explained in July 2013.

"It's apparently from when I was growing, just really active kids can get these little cracks in their femur.

"I've had knee pain for several years but no one could tell me what was wrong with it so I just kept playing and it never really got better, I just put up with it. The medical team noticed a difference in the way I was moving and wanted to check it out.

"The MRI showed my knee had a crack the size of a 20 cent piece in it. What they had to do was put about four screws in.”

Wood was able to recover for the start of the 2013/2014 pre-season. His hard work over the summer was rewarded with a place in the North Melbourne side for the final NAB Challenge match against Geelong at Simonds Stadium.

The impressive performance spurred Wood to an excellent start for Werribee. Bags of goals had the left footer drawing high praise from Senior Development Manager Gavin Brown.

“Mason is starting to really put his hand up (for senior selection),” Brown said in May this year.

“He’s had seven goals in the past two weeks; his work-rate was terrific in the second half today. He kicked three goals when we really needed them.

“He’s hitting the scoreboard every week and performing well in that third tall, key forward role.”

Just when it seemed the number 32 was on the verge of a debut, he pulled up sore after a game against Richmond’s VFL side in late May.

After missing two weeks of action, Wood took some time to work his way back into good form on his return. He also spent more time on the wing in the weeks following his injury.

At the end of July, the left footer re-signed for a further two years and spoke about how he saw his own form.

“I didn’t have many games last year, so I’m starting to feel like I’m running better towards the back end of the season, covering a lot of k’s (kilometres) and feel like I’ve been playing good footy again now after a bit of a gap through the middle of the year.”

In recent weeks Wood had often been the match-day emergency for North Melbourne. Despite the potential inconvenience that could come from it, he has demonstrated impressive maturity to still notch good numbers for Werribee during the period.

In his most recent outing for the Tigers, Wood was able to battle through conditions which didn’t suit him and still stamp his imprint on the game.

It looks as if that was the final piece of the puzzle for the North Melbourne coaching staff, as Wood will become Shinboner #986 on Saturday against the Demons.
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