WT's Woods has defied call that he would never play again

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Wests Tigers enforcer Aaron Woods has defied call that he would never play again

![](http://resources2.news.com.au/images/2013/04/20/1226625/129838-aaron-woods.jpg)

Wests Tigers prop Aaron Woods is back on track after his career was at the crossroads. Picture: Gregg Porteous Source: The Sunday Telegraph

THE surgeon's worst-case scenario whacked Aaron Woods harder than anything Queensland enforcers Matt Scott, Sam Thaiday or Nate Myles might dish out come State of Origin time this season.

Woods is the Wests Tigers young gun who Peter Sterling was calling to be picked for Australia in the Anzac Test.

Blessed with the footwork of a five-eighth and the physical presence of Balmain legend Blocker Roach, this 109kg, 1.94m front-rower has a lethal combination of speed, size and football instincts.

Ricky Stuart thought enough of Woods, now 23, to twice make him the Blues' 18th man during last year's Origin series and the way he's started this year with the Tigers will make it hard for Laurie Daley to leave him out come Origin I.

But to really understand the the rise of the Leichhardt Wanderers junior, you have to go back three years - just after the Tigers had won the 2009 under-20s premiership - when a surgeon told him his career was over before it had even begun.

With the tendon in one of his hamstrings completely ripped off the bone, the doctor told Woods to forget about trying to become a professional rugby league player.

"The doctor tried to tell me I'd never be able to run at the elite level again. He actually told me I might as well go and start looking for a real job," Woods said. "To say I was filthy would be an understatement. It was a big reality check and it made me a lot tougher with how I've got to treat my body.

"I tore the tendon off the bone and it was bloody frustrating.

"I couldn't do anything rehab-wise. They wanted me to just do nothing on my legs. All I could do was upper body weights but then it came to a point where I couldn't even bench press because it was putting stress on my hamstrings."

Woods was one of the first players picked by City coach Brad Fittler for today's clash in Coffs Harbour until a knee injury ruled him out.

Aside from Kangaroo and Cowboys prop James Tamou being a certainty for one NSW front-row position, the other is still well and truly up for grabs. Pushing Paul Gallen up front is one option, while Woods, St George Illawarra's Trent Merrin, Blues incumbent Tim Grant, Cronulla's Andrew Fifita and Gold Coast's Ryan James are all pressing claims for a jumper.

Not only has Woods overcome an injury doctors tried to tell him could end his career, he turned a 6-8 week lateral meninscus tear into a two and a half week injury at the start of this year.

Given the Tigers were without front-rowers Keith Galloway, Matt Groat and James Gavet after round one - his speedy recovery was imperative.

Tigers coach Mick Potter reckons Woods will hold his own if the Blues decide to give him a crack against Queensland.

"His contribution to us has been enormous and valuable to the team," Potter said.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/wests-tigers-enforcer-aaron-woods-has-defied-call-that-he-would-never-play-again/story-e6frexs9-1226625129915
 
Woodsy was unlucky to just miss out playing for the mighty blues last year with Stuart preferring to go with Grant instead but surely the big fella won't be overlooked this year, a simple search on google by this hack & he would of realized the Storm beat us in 09.
 
Doing everything right, but lacks aggression… He will be there somewhere you would think, but I hope he doesnt get gun-shy after the Qld boys belt the crap out of him?!

Good Luck Aaron!

Further to that, if the doctors where so wrong about Aaron, maybe they are wrong about the shoulder charge?
 
Lucky he obviously has the determination and desire to prove them wrong.

Poorly written though, I'd have loved to read just HOW he overcame such a big call ''you'll never play again''

Author skipped the most important part
 
@Tiger Watto said:
Doing everything right, but lacks aggression… He will be there somewhere you would think, but I hope he doesnt get gun-shy after the Qld boys belt the crap out of him?!

Good Luck Aaron!

Further to that, if the doctors where so wrong about Aaron, maybe they are wrong about the shoulder charge?
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shoulder charge change = research.
This doctors call = opinion from his experience with those injuries.
Miracles happen

_Posted using RoarFEED 2013_
 
@Tiger Watto said:
Doing everything right, but lacks aggression… He will be there somewhere you would think, but I hope he doesnt get gun-shy after the Qld boys belt the crap out of him?!
Click to expand...

That's my thinking too. It's all well and good to make 15 runs for 150m and 30 tackles in the NRL every week. But when your in the most intense arena against the best players in the world who are looking to belt the living tripe out of you, will that cut it?

There's no doubts woods is a better prop then grant, but it was grants aggression that got him picked ahead of woods last year. Grant was then fantastic and although his club form is down this year, selectors tend to remember origin performances.
 
I don't think that aggression is a requisite for success in Origin. Steve Price wasn't that aggressive and he played 28 games for QLD and 16 for Australia. Petero Civoniceva wasn't what I would call aggressive either and he played 33 games for the maroons and 45 for the Aussies. Woods reminds me of both of them. What we need are forwards who can make big numbers despite the attention of the opposition. While its not Origin, Woods does this consistently week in week out. Besides, everyone knows that beards are in right now.

_Posted using RoarFEED 2013_
 
Woods has all the arsenal to suceed in Origin. He is a tireless worker, produces great carries with the ball, makes plenty of tackles, always chases when a break is made, attempts to charge down kicks, has a big motor and just generally puts in all the 1%ers that others only sometimes do. He isnt a fiery intimidator yet but when you tick every other box, this quality can be learned through experience.

To quote an overused statement….he is made for origin and the blues would be nuts not to include him. He will still be charging it up at 100% in the 80th minute and that is what you want from a prop. With the superior kicking games of Smith, Cronk and JT, he will be required to do a lot of dirty hitups under pressure from his own 20\. He revels in this aspect and seems cut from the same cloth as guys like Webke, Lazo, Price, Petro et.al, who were always putting their hands up for this work. He will play origin this year and wont stop for another 10 years barring injury. I am excited for him and for the improved player the tiges will welcome back after the series concludes.
 
I know its media opinion and it should be ignored, but it bugs the hell out of me when they about the forwards "on the cusp" of earning a call up, and they don't mention Woods.

He is along with Scott/Tamou, the form front rower in the comp.
 
Woodsy is, or should be, one of the main reasons NSW should look fwd to being genuinely competitive this year. I hope not having played in the city/country today doesn't affect his chances. They were talking up Trent Merrin for a while there.

Plus, I don't trust Laurie Daly's judgement at all.
 
@fergiefurr said:
@Tiger Watto said:
Doing everything right, but lacks aggression… He will be there somewhere you would think, but I hope he doesnt get gun-shy after the Qld boys belt the crap out of him?!

That's my thinking too. It's all well and good to make 15 runs for 150m and 30 tackles in the NRL every week. But when your in the most intense arena against the best players in the world who are looking to belt the living tripe out of you, will that cut it?

There's no doubts woods is a better prop then grant, but it was grants aggression that got him picked ahead of woods last year. Grant was then fantastic and although his club form is down this year, selectors tend to remember origin performances.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

Petero was never what I'd consider an aggressive prop either, but he was usually first chosen for Qld because he made good metres and did all those little things right that Woods is now doing also. Woods will definitely hold his own in Origin if given the chance, imo.
 
One of a few Tim Sheens legacys. He knew which props he wanted to keep, and got it right! Woods was the young one other bunch… And it appears he likes Keafy too. So Gibbs & ill disciplined Fafita ( at the club, and outside of hours the story goes....) had to go.
 
@Paris Cobbs said:
Woodsy is, or should be, one of the main reasons NSW should look fwd to being genuinely competitive this year. I hope not having played in the city/country today doesn't affect his chances. They were talking up Trent Merrin for a while there.

Plus, I don't trust Laurie Daly's judgement at all.
Click to expand...

Theyve been competitive the last couple of series.
Woods will be off the bench IF picked….it will be a big step up for him, im sure he'll handle it, he might be the difference
 
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