"Woodsy is there because we trust him to be our leader": Dene Halatau, left, with Chris Lawrence, captain Aaron Woods and coach Jason Taylor. Photo: Wolter Peeters
Wests Tigers vice-captain Dene Halatau has revealed that the club's new seven-man leadership group played a major role in the appointment of Aaron Woods as skipper.
Woods was handed the job at Concord last week after Robbie Farah controversially stood himself down from the post last month.
At 24 years old, NSW Origin prop Woods became the youngest captain in the NRL, but not before his leadership credentials were rubber-stamped by his senior teammates. "We gave our opinion on how it might look and the coaching staff made their decisions on that as well," said Halatau, who was named as Woods' deputy alongside Chris Lawrence.
"Woodsy is there because we trust him to be our leader." Halatau, 32, believed the Leichhardt junior's promotion made the most sense.
"Everyone suggested Woodsy would be the logical choice," he said. "He's a leader at training, he's a leader among the boys, and he's a leader when he plays footy."
NSW vice-captain Farah was seemingly heading out of Concord when he was encouraged to find another club in late August, but he dug his heels in, insisting he wanted to see out his contract.
What looked set to be an ugly separation has now seemingly fallen through and a healing process has begun. "Everyone has worked hard to get through it and everyone is pretty comfortable that we'll push on," Halatau said.
AAP
