Romano Group Seagulls centre James Wood will prepare for Sunday’s final round clash against ladder leaders PNG Hunters as if it his last match … just in case it is.
The 32-year-old is one of the Intrust Super Cup’s personality players with his long dreadlocks. Yet he is also a deep-thinking, articulate father of two who has played more Queensland Cup games than all but three players at any club.
The question has been posed whether ‘Woodsy’ – who needs just one try to equal one of his best mates Nathaneal Barnes’ record of most tries for one ISC club – will hang up his boots at season’s end.
The fact is he doesn’t want to make up his mind after he has had a break after a tough season for the last-placed Seagulls. However, he admits retirement could beckon.
“I just want to get away, spend some time with the family then make a decision – you’re a long time retired,” he said.
“My wife, who knows me best, said she can’t trust me to make a decision right now, and she’s right. But yes, it might be my last game on Sunday; that’s how I’m leaning to be honest.
“If this does happen to be my final game, I would like to sincerely thank my family, friends and people that have followed and supported me over the years, the Tweed Seagulls and the QRL.
“It has been a honour and a blessing to represent you all over the course of my career.”
Woods is the last playing survivor of the Seagulls’ golden era that brought a premiership in 2007, when he was a quick, evasive 22-year-old with a crew-cut hairstyle in his fourth season in Cup football, and a minor premiership but grand final defeat in 2011.
Matt King, another inspirational Gulls figure from that era who played 232 games for Souths Logan and Tweed Heads, is still here too as assistant to outgoing coach Aaron Zimmerle.
Wood says he can’t pinpoint which were the best or most satisfying of his 107 tries other than he looks fondly on the 19 tries he scored in the 2007 premiership year.
“I could do things then I certainly can’t know,” he smiled.
“And when I look back I’m proud of how I played then and some of the tries I scored towards the end of that premiership year with such a great side.”
In 2011, Woods played in a team that lost just once (plus a draw) all season before going down in the grand final to the Paul Green-coached, sixth-placed Wynnum Manly 16-10
Woods holds several club records that look a long way away from being broken.
He has played the most games with 242 (fifth in Qld Cup history), is second to Barnes’ 108 tries with 107 (Barnes holds the Queensland Cup record with 135 career tries, 27 with Wynnum-Manly) and most seasons in first grade (14).
He is certainly the last of the list of club stalwarts too to have played well over 100 games, including Barnes (142), Tim Maccan (152), Brad Davis (154) and King (191).
Woodsy’s wish for the final round of 2017 against the side the Seagulls beat against all odds in Port Moresby in June and becoming just the third team to beat the Hunters at the National Stadium?
“To play some footy and really have a go,” he said.
“Last week it was unfortunate to lose like we did against the Pride but I felt we looked more dangerous than our opponents for once and every player who took the field did their best. That’s all I could ask for this Sunday.
“I don’t get as down about losing as some others. When there are only two teams, one has to lose. I’d rather go down feeling we’ve really made a fist of it, than feeling we never gave ourselves a chance.
“It would be good to finish with a win but I hope we at least play with the same intent that we had last week and don’t just go in there to survive for 80 minutes, but throw some of our own shot against a very good side, and finish on a high.
“The win over there against the Hunters was massive.
“We didn’t play pretty footy but we were tough; everyone dug in and had a go and we got the result.
“It’s a real graveyard for visiting teams, only three teams have won in five years and we are one of them. That’s special.
“It showed what some of the guys in our system are capable of.
“Hopefully that is something they can look back on with satisfaction. I will – it’s special for me to say I went over there and got a win against the Hunters in PNG, because it’s so hard to do.
“A last versus first victory to end the season would be pretty good too.”
Whatever the result, one thing is for certain whether it’s Woodsy’s last game or not – he’ll play tough, he’ll play with passion and immense pride in wearing the Seagulls jersey but he’ll shake hands at the end, knowing it’s just a sport and he could only give his best.
A try, or a victory, would be a bonus to take into his deciding off-season.
Tomorrow we talk to outgoing and much loved coach Aaron Zimmerle.
The records:
Queensland/Intrust Super Cup
Most tries
BARNES, Nathanael (Tweed Heads/Wynnum Manly) 135
OGDEN, Daniel (Norths/Wynnum) 125
MALONE, Donald (Easts/Ipswich/Cutters/Too) 117
PARFITT, Nick (Toowoomba/Bur) 113
CULLEN, Ryan (Central Qld/Redcliffe/Easts) 112
GEORGETOWN, Liam (Redclffe) 107
WOOD, James (Tweed Heads) 107
Most games
LINDSAY, Troy (Redcliffe) 270
COBURN, Danny (Ipswich) 258
ROBERTS, Michael (Redcliffe/Norths) 253
DENNIS, Phil (Wests/Easts/Souths) 252
WOOD, James (Tweed Heads) 241
KING, Matt (Souths Logan/Tweed Heads) 232
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