BY DAN

Last week the news that Raiders hooker Zac Woolford was being ‘shopped’ in English footy was a jolt to fans. Surely Canberra weren’t letting their best performing number 9 go?

Our attempt to assess the validity of these rumours boiled down the old cui bono? Why would the Raiders be shopping a nine in England? There was no on-field reason. He’d been their best at the position for the past two seasons. It only made sense if there was an intent to open up roster positions for 2024, or if there was more to the story beyond that point.

Canberra did confirm to the Canberra Times that they hadn’t been trying to push Woolford out, and that he was very much in their plans for 2024. As the Times wrote:

Zac Woolford is squarely in the Canberra Raiders’ plans for the 2024 NRL season. But at this stage he’s one of a number of off-contract stars who the Raiders were yet to open talks with. It’s believed the Green Machine were waiting to see how things panned out in the next few months before making a move

The Times

Ah yes the most lukewarm of responses. Like all good jazz it’s the notes that aren’t played that are relevant here. Woolford is of course contracted for 2024 so it’s little surprise he’s part of their plans. That’s like me saying working for a living is in my plans for 2024. I won’t be able to pay for the 82 different subscription services I have if I don’t.

What’s important is that the Raiders have yet to start talks with him. They already extended Danny Levi and Tom Starling last year. The Milk have also recently announced deals with Hohepa Puru, Ata Mariota, Corey Horsburgh, Jamal Fogarty, signed Kaeo Weekes and Morgan Smithies. In addition, they’ve announced their hunting a backrower as a priority, and are looking to make deals with Trey Mooney, James Schiller, Pasami Saulo and my mate’s dog Sonny. Here is the list of regular first graders currently free-agents: Smell, Rapa, Nic Cotric and Zac. Two probably retiring, one on an inflated deal and in-and-out of first grade last year, and the Raiders’ starting rake. It’s singles night in Springfield and Zac is Apu. In short, if you’re not a priority by now you’re not a priority all.

Waiting to see how things pan out is presumably a reference to Adrian Trevilyan’s health. While Woolford is undoubtedly the best performing rake at the club, Trevilyan’s unquestionably talented, and has potential to be the “five tools” hooker the club has been questing for since it decided to push out it’s existing hooker. Adrian Trevilyan should be on a longer deal, but the club is clearly keen to see him put together a few months of healthy footy before putting down the big money deal. He’s had a horror run with injuries, but 2024 is the year that could all turn around.

I guess the club has decided Trevilyan, along with Tom Starling and Levi are the rotation over the longer term, and look I get it. Four hookers is probably too many in a top 30 (which presumably Trevilyan will be in from 2025). I love Woolford as a player, but he hasn’t been gifted with the pace of Starling, the full package of Trevilyan (*giggles*) or the Leviness of Danny. He’s an an old school practitioner of the dark arts of dummy-half work, using creativity, guile and Lupin levels of deception to get what people with more athletic gifts can otherwise simply take.

One would hope the Raiders appreciate what they have, but they must also keep an eye on the future. And it seems they’re not yet sure if Woolford is necessarily a part of that. While we may have views on Woolford’s place in the hierarchy, the club sees things in his game that evidently put him down the depth chart. If I’m guessing it’s fitness and defensive discipline related to that. It could also be a view of his upside. But I’m not a football genius, just a dude with a pack of pringles and a dream.

For completeness, it’s worth noting that report also says that Woolford isn’t looking to go overseas. I’m sure that is the case. The man has scraped and earnt everything he has in the NRL and one would think he’s trying to keep that ‘one shot’ going as long as possible. He’s proven he’s capable of succeeding in the best competition in the world. Why would he want to give up on that for fucking lovely Huddersfield (look at me ragging on cities I’ve never been to. Have we Canberrans not been hurt enough? My apologies to Huddersfield).

It’s likely too this claim is also a reference to while he’s not keen to look overseas, Woolford’s management is probably just doing their due diligence, and making sure that Zac has something lined up after next year. An NRL player in his prime coming to the Super League is worth the inches of newspaper it takes up. It’s easy to see how similar conversations happening in Australia either aren’t (Woolford wasn’t in demand before he came to Canberra) or are but hardly rate a mention. It’s also likely Woolford isn’t a big enough fish for most local Fox/News reporters to actually make a few calls. After all these ‘who’s your club’s best 17 for four months from now’ don’t write themselves.

So, like the club, I guess we wait, and hope Woolford’s performances force the club to come to the table. In that time I hope Trevilyan and Woolford both prove themselves worthy of a longer stay. Because if the club is worried about the upside of its rakes, then those two aren’t the problem.

Do me a favour and like the page on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, or share this on social media because love is true and heaven is a Raiders victory. Don’t hesitate to send us feedback (dan@sportress.org) or comment below if you think we are stupid. Or if we’re not.