CAMERON Wood turned to Google as he attempted to work out whether news he'd be returning to the AFL wasn't a prank.
Unveiled by Carlton at Visy Park on Thursday, Wood said he initially didn't answer the call from Blues recruiting manager Shane Rogers because he thought it was a joke.
"I didn't answer it, got the voicemail and thought it was a prank," he said.
"I googled Shane Rogers to make sure he was actually the recruiting manager of Carlton and rang him back."
Wood knows he is likely to be merely a support act next season, but he still believes he can step up to the No.1 ruck role.Delisted by Collingwood at the end of 2012 after 64 games in eight seasons with the Pies and the Brisbane Lions, Wood was thrown a lifeline with pick 28 in Wednesday's NAB AFL Rookie Draft.
The decision reunited Wood with former Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse, fitness guru David Buttifant and teammate Dale Thomas – relationships Wood says were pivotal to him finding a third AFL home.
The 26-year-old accepts he will have to bide his time with the Blues, who needed ruck support for chief big men Matthew Kreuzer and Robert Warnock after trading Shaun Hampson to Richmond.
All the NAB AFL Pre-season and Rookie Draft news
But he believes he is capable of being more than a stop-gap option.
"I'm under no illusions that I've probably been recruited as insurance," Wood told reporters at Visy Park on Thursday morning.
"But having said that, if I didn’t think I was able to play the number one ruck role I wouldn’t waste people's time and just be here for the sake of being here. And obviously Mick and the coaching staff wouldn’t recruit me if they didn’t think I could play AFL next year.
"To play one game would be amazing, but I don’t think there's anything stopping me from playing a lot more."
But he believes he is capable of being more than a stop-gap option.
"I'm under no illusions that I've probably been recruited as insurance," Wood told reporters at Visy Park on Thursday morning.
"But having said that, if I didn’t think I was able to play the number one ruck role I wouldn’t waste people's time and just be here for the sake of being here. And obviously Mick and the coaching staff wouldn’t recruit me if they didn’t think I could play AFL next year.
"To play one game would be amazing, but I don’t think there's anything stopping me from playing a lot more."
Wood spent this year at VFL club Williamstown and finished fourth in the club best and fairest.
He says he benefited from the alignment with the Western Bulldogs by playing alongside big men Tom Campbell and Ayce Cordy.
"That gave me a chance to move forward and work on my marking in the forward line and more consistent efforts around the ball," he said. "I played a kick behind the ball under (coach) Peter German … so that was a different sort of role, which I think worked really well."
Ruckman are traditionally late developers, and Wood is hoping this will be the case for him. Having a year away from the AFL has also given him greater perspective.
"I've been able to see that there's other things in life (than) football," he said.
"I had a healthy balance. This year I had to work, a bit of study … So I think having that perspective and learning a bit about myself and what I want to get out of football, I think that will hold me in good stead next year."
Wood has been given the No. 36 guernsey, formerly worn by Blues champion Mark Maclure.
Twitter: @AFL_BenCollins
"That gave me a chance to move forward and work on my marking in the forward line and more consistent efforts around the ball," he said. "I played a kick behind the ball under (coach) Peter German … so that was a different sort of role, which I think worked really well."
Ruckman are traditionally late developers, and Wood is hoping this will be the case for him. Having a year away from the AFL has also given him greater perspective.
"I've been able to see that there's other things in life (than) football," he said.
"I had a healthy balance. This year I had to work, a bit of study … So I think having that perspective and learning a bit about myself and what I want to get out of football, I think that will hold me in good stead next year."
Wood has been given the No. 36 guernsey, formerly worn by Blues champion Mark Maclure.
Twitter: @AFL_BenCollins
