Bad hair day fails to slow Blues firebrand

YOU can pull at Aaron Woods’ hair all day and make out he is not tough because he doesn’t suit the image of a rugby league enforcer.

But if there was ever any doubt about his character or commitment to the Wests Tigers it was answered yesterday.

Just four days after NSW’s heartbreak in the State of Origin decider, Woods returned with a powerhouse 80-minute effort in the 28-16 loss to Manly.

The Tigers captain ran for 162m from 20 hit-ups which was twice as much as any of his forwards, as well as making 33 tackles.

The Tigers were reeling after losing two players in the first half.

Ivan Cleary revealed last night talented young hooker Jacob Liddle may not play against this season after dislocating his shoulder.

Liddle lasted only five minutes before he was forced from the field, while backrower Joel Edwards failed a concussion test that ruled him out of the game in the 34th minute.

But down on forwards, Woods led the way with another captain’s knock that backed up his pre-Origin manof-the-match effort against Newcastle.

Woods also had to put up with a tactic that’s becoming a bit old after Darcy Lussick was penalised for pulling Woods to the ground using large clumps of his hair.

The incident hardly registered a response from Woods last night.

“It happens every game,” Woods said. “It is part of having long hair.”

Asked about the fact it earned a penalty, Woods added: “He must have done it right in front of the ref. It was a bit of a piggy back it was good at the time.”

They often say how a player backs up from Origin is one of the key indicators you can judge them on and yesterday Woods could not have tried harder for the Tigers, beaten only by experience.

While young halves Luke Brooks and Tui Lolohea had their moments, it was the ability of Manly’s Daly CherryEvans and Blake Green to gain repeat sets that was telling.

“I was actually really proud of the boys,” Cleary said.

“They had 14 more completed sets than us, which is just unbelievable.”