Fresh from traversing the boundary line to perfection late in his side's thrilling victory on the weekend, Western Bulldog Arty Jones has heaped praise on his club's under-siege medical team.
Jones is one of very few injury-related success stories at the Kennel this year, with the cruelest spate of setbacks plaguing a side who started the year so emphatically.
The 22-year-old has overcome soft tissue injuries and an unfortunate concussion this season, and enjoyed a signature moment in setting up the match-winning behind against Port Adelaide on Saturday night.
"I just have to thank my physio team and my medical team because they're doing the day to day work in getting me back," Jones told Zero Hanger.
"I feel like I'm getting some good continuity - I just want to be as consistent as possible and I feel like I'm getting that done. I feel honoured to be selected every week, and I'm just trying to put my best foot forward."
With inspirational skipper Marcus Bontempelli still contributing whilst obviously hampered, and points of difference Tom Liberatore, James O'Donnell, Cody Weightman and Sam Darcy watching from the pine, with the latter to miss the entire season, one could be forgiven for assuming morale had taken a hit at the Whitten Oval.
Jones refuted such a notion.
"We've adopted the 'next man up' (mentality)," he said.
"Footy teams have 44 players and we're adapting the mindset that everyone will have their moment when they're called up and needed to play their part and help the team.
"Mentally, the club is doing really well, we've been hit with a couple of injuries but we're going back to business."
Speaking to Zero Hanger at the launch of Sir Doug Nicholls Round, Jones applauded the AFL for the spectacle they have turned the dedicated round(s) into, while speaking openly about what his culture means to himself and his family.
"It means everything to me," he said.
"The more I think about it, the more it means to my family, to me, to the wider community in Australia. This round is so special for all of us Indigenous boys - we always like to put a massive circle around it (in the calendar) and hope that we're playing in it.
"It's so special that the AFL is starting to really celebrate it. It shows that us Indigenous boys are here, and we're not going anywhere. We get to celebrate our culture, and it makes us feel welcome."
Across the two weekends that characterise Sir Doug Nicholls Round, the Bulldogs face a maligned Carlton outfit this Saturday night, before hosting the Demons to close Round 11.
