The Star: June 28, 2018
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42<br />
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi<br />
Thursday <strong>June</strong> <strong>28</strong> <strong>2018</strong><br />
Sport<br />
Woods train crash helps the battling Bulldogs<br />
IN THE space of 10 days last<br />
year, Bulldogs fans had every<br />
right to believe again.<br />
On April 30, they signed<br />
Kangaroos and NSW prop Aaron<br />
Woods on a four-year deal. Soon<br />
after, they convinced Kieran<br />
Foran to leave the Warriors to<br />
play again under coach Des<br />
Hasler.<br />
And now? One prized signing<br />
has left the building, the other<br />
is still in the building but badly<br />
injured. On Tuesday, Woods was<br />
released to join the Sharks for the<br />
rest of this season and another<br />
three after that. Meanwhile,<br />
Foran is about to have surgery on<br />
a busted toe that will sideline him<br />
for the rest of the year.<br />
“Stability is something I’m<br />
really looking forward to,”<br />
Woods told the Sydney Morning<br />
Herald. “I’m excited about the<br />
next three-and-a-half years.”<br />
You can imagine the collective<br />
eye roll from Bulldogs supporters<br />
as he said it. Didn’t Woods leave<br />
his beloved Wests Tigers because<br />
he wanted “stability?” Instead,<br />
he walked straight into a salary<br />
cap catastrophe that has set the<br />
Bulldogs back years, one that has<br />
ultimately claimed the jobs of<br />
Hasler, chief executive Raelene<br />
Castle and, finally, chairman Ray<br />
Dib.<br />
Does Woods reckon he’ll see<br />
out his Sharks contract?<br />
“Definitely,” he said, before<br />
nervously grinning. “Well, I hope<br />
so.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> reality is Woods’ departure<br />
is of enormous benefit to the<br />
Bulldogs. As harsh as it sounds,<br />
it would help them even more if<br />
Foran decided over the next six<br />
months that it’s time to consider<br />
his life after football.<br />
Both the Bulldogs and Sharks<br />
are claiming victory over the<br />
Woods deal, adamant they’re<br />
getting the best value for money.<br />
Woods’ move has been talked<br />
about for weeks but it wasn’t<br />
confirmed until late on Monday.<br />
<strong>The</strong> timing was important. If<br />
Woods was to play for the Sharks<br />
against the Warriors in Auckland<br />
on Friday, he needed to be named<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Star</strong><br />
on Tuesday night in their 21-man<br />
squad.<br />
And with Paul Gallen headed<br />
for retirement, and Wade<br />
Graham and Luke Lewis battling<br />
injuries, and with the Sharks<br />
needing a big boy in the middle<br />
to ensure they make the finals,<br />
it is a smart signing for coach<br />
Shane Flanagan.<br />
It will be a long time before the<br />
salary cap mess at the Bulldogs<br />
is untangled, but Woods’ early<br />
departure relieves a lot of<br />
pressure.<br />
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