Australian Football

A tough, tenacious and pacy wingman who used the ball extremely well, Bryan Wood was a key component in the great Richmond sides of the 1970s and early 1980s. He was a member of Tiger premiership teams in 1973-4 and 1980. Originally from Blackburn, Wood was close to the complete package, and lost little if anything in comparison to other great wingmen of his era, such as Keith Greig of North Melbourne and Melbourne's Robbie Flower.

After 209 VFL games and 85 goals with Richmond between 1972 and 1982, Wood joined his former team mate Kevin Sheedy at Essendon where he was a more than handy performer in a further 44 games (for 12 goals) over the next four seasons. In 1985, aged 31, he was on a wing as the Bombers trounced Hawthorn in the Grand Final. Bryan Wood played for Victoria on two occasions, a total that would undoubtedly have been much higher had he not been vying with so many other top quality wingmen in the VFL at the time.

Author - John Devaney