Outgoing Wests Tigers captain Aaron Woods claims the NRL club knew he would never meet a deadline to re-sign they imposed on him late last month.
Woods confirmed on Sunday he had signed a four-year deal with Canterbury, but not before he filmed a scathing assessment of the series of events that led him out of Concord.
After meeting with the manager for both Woods and fullback James Tedesco on Tuesday April 18, the Tigers announced that Thursday that the pair had until the following day to decide their future and put the matter to bed.
But Woods claimed the merged club already knew they wouldn’t get a response.
“My management said I wasn’t ready – I knew that for sure,” Woods told Fox Sports.
“They knew where we were at but later in the week they came out and publicly said they put a deadline on us for the Friday. They knew the answer to the question.”
The ongoing drama surrounding Woods, Tedesco, Mitchell Moses and Luke Brooks has engulfed the club since Jason Taylor was sacked as coach in March.
Moses is set to head to Parramatta next year after being denied a mid-season release, while Tedesco is believed to be close to signing with the Roosters.
Brooks is the only member of the so-called big four – who are all managed by Isaac Moses – to re-sign.
The situation has angered the club’s fans and Woods has been jeered for the past two weeks – something he said he accepts as a matter of passion – but he is adamant the Tigers didn’t offer him a contract until new coach Ivan Cleary endorsed one on March 31.
“We hadn’t had any formal contracts written or nothing in front of us,” Woods said.
“It was all just talk from my management to the club. People would have thought we had agreed before round one, but nothing had been said.”
Woods’ final season at the Tigers looks set to be hindered by a serious hamstring injury, after he was ruled out of Friday’s Test after injuring it in Saturday’s 22-16 loss to Cronulla.
But while he said he couldn’t have seen himself playing for another club at the start of the season, he felt “let down” by Tigers’ management following Taylor’s sacking, and the media speculation that player power led by Woods had forced it.
“I didn’t get any support,” he said.
“I hadn’t heard from anyone at the club for three weeks, so I did feel a little bit let down.
“I’m the captain of the club – you’d think they would at least give you a text to see how you’re going.”
TigerMike
Guest
Spot on
TigerMike
Guest
By Scott Bailey | 2 days ago Have your say 59 Comments Outgoing Wests Tigers captain Aaron Woods claims the NRL club knew he would never meet a deadline to re-sign they imposed on him late last month. LMAO he had plenty of time to say YES 6 years in fact The only reason he didn't was because Woods and his agent were talking outta school, to other clubs, for a better deal and they hadn't heard the last or the best offer from the other clubs remember his agent is part of Melbourne's salary cap breachers you think he's a tigers fan haha
Gray-Hand
Guest
You have either confused yourself with the contracts with Brooks and Moses or you have just dreamt up this earlier contract. Sad what grief does to people.
Broadly Speaking
Guest
TPPs
Beef
Guest
As a club captain you take on a roll to lead, as a leader you need to show how professional you are. Currently the interview that Aaron has done has made him look like someone who new he was leaving and didn't care on who he hurts along the way; this includes his fellow players and fans. The time of the deadline he would of already have signed the dogs contact remember everyone there is a 10 day cooling off period and by all reports his had a longer cooling off period, ao he knew what he was doing. This interview is ab absolute joke as a club captain he should step down and hand the captaincy iver to a player who will lead like a captain.
John
Guest
Gotta start telling jokes Birdy!
Birdy
Guest
Personal notes, John has no sense of humour.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
It's also worth noting that when Hasler got asked about Reynolds a few weeks ago in a press conference, he was commented that it'd be nice if the NRL could work out the cap for next year (and he was clearly angry about it). I suspect the Bulldogs offered him a reasonable but modest to be safe under the cap only for the Tigers to come in and offer him a bag when they knew there was space in their cap with Moses leaving.
John
Guest
Reynolds is a slightly above average half prone to absolute brain explosions. Great club man, high energy, always busts a gut. The Bulldogs put a price on that and Reynolds wasn't satisfied with the number. The Tigers put a significantly higher number on it and he was, thereby leaving the club he loves for money. No blame there, good luck to him. Must have been very difficult. Woods is a 26 year old NRL club captain and the starting front rower for NSW and Australia. The Tigers put a price on that, which was higher than any offer. The Bulldogs put a lower number on it and he leaves the club he loves for less. Gets to me too Soothsayer and Woods is just one player...imagine the same thing happening with Tedesco the superstar fullback (24) and Moses the reigning player of the year (22)!
John
Guest
The good ol' brown paper bag!! Funny how when a person decides to leaves a workplace for LESS money and explains why....when all reason has been exhausted...the go-to gibber heads right back to imaginary payments which must be the REAL reason. Wake up.
Birdy
Guest
You make a good point john. But hang on, where did that brown paper bag come from? Does anyone remember about 3 weeks ago on RL360 joking around about woods going to the dogs despite being a born and bred Balmain boy ? he replied by saying his wife was a doggy fan. Mmmmmm , interesting.
Soothsayer
Roar Rookie
What gets to me is the fact the Bulldogs were willing to part with Josh Reynolds in order to gain Woods! JR would have accepted less money than the 800k per season Bulldogs will now fork out for someone they don't need! No loyalty whatsoever at the family club!
John
Guest
Does a mercenary leave a place he loves for less money?
John
Guest
Woods would have known the club wanted to re-sign him. Not the issue. He said in the interview after Taylor was sacked he and the other players off contract were blamed for spearing him. True. He also said no one from the club contacted him for three weeks afterwards. If that is true the silence was obviously deafening and played a significant role in his feeling towards the club. Easy option for a club administration: sacking a club legend mid contract and making it a football decision (Taylor carries the can). Easy option for a club administration: sacking Jason Taylor three weeks into a season after a win and two losses, then go missing for weeks on end, allowing the inference to be directed at off contract players. Difficult option for a club administration: re-signing those off contract players!
thomas c
Guest
didn't he subsequently make a remark about wanting to play finals football? Pick a story and stick with it. Even admit your decisions are purely mercenary (or blame the wife and kids if you have 'em). I can't imagine a scenario where the tigers wouldn't have been desperate to keep him, but also desperate to not be in the lurch over their star players creating uncertainty. (if woods wants to play finals football, play better and lead better).
John
Guest
Woods has been living the drama for his entire career and he is 26. Next contract takes him to 30. What is confusing?
John
Guest
Facts?? Woods stated contract arrived 31 March and no mention of another one prior or Cleary changing his deal. What seems "bleeding obvious" is the club organised an open media call to announce a contract deadline as a PR exercise...they were told that week Woods wouldn't be ready and did so anyway. Why make a deadline public? Professional people and professional organisations conduct their business behind closed doors.
John
Guest
Where has this been stated? The Tigers pulled Mitchell Moses' contract. Aaron Woods is a different player.
John
Guest
Confused as to how you know he had a generous contract offer six months ago? His contract arrived on 31 March.
John
Guest
When did he or anyone else say there were two contracts? He said the contract arrived on 31 March - that is one month ago not six months, and at that time the Tigers had just sacked their coach. Reynolds left the club he loves for money. Woods is leaving the club he loves for less.