Aaron Woods issues warning on mental challenges facing Matt Lodge and Broncos

WESTS Tigers captain Aaron Woods has warned former teammate Matt Lodge must ‘get off the drink’ and get his head straight if he wants to return to the NRL.

Aaron Woods says Matthew Lodge shouldn't come back to the NRL unless he gives up the drink.

WESTS Tigers captain Aaron Woods has warned former teammate Matt Lodge not to consider an NRL return unless the former bad boy can “stay off the drink” and be a role model.

Lodge is considering taking up a 2018 deal with Brisbane after launching a remarkable comeback with their feeder club Redcliffe this year. The 22-year-old ex-Tiger is one of five contenders for the second tier Queensland Cup best and fairest award after snapping a lifeline from the Dolphins in 2017.

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Lodge has not played in the NRL for two years after the Tigers sacked him following his arrest at gunpoint for a drunken rampage in New York in October 2015.

Woods was pleased that his ex-teammate had turned his life around, revealing that the prop was also expecting his first child.

Aaron Woods says Matthew Lodge shouldn't come back to the NRL unless he gives up the drink.

But the Tigers leader warned Lodge he could not afford to stumble on his road to redemption.

“There is no doubt he’s a quality young player, but Lodgey’s biggest thing is getting his head right off the field,” Woods told Fox Sports’ NRL 360 program. “He’s had his indiscretions as everyone knows.

“But to get a crack at the NRL he has to continue doing what he is doing, not just do it until you play NRL.

“If he is going to be an NRL player he’s got to still stay off the drink and still work hard in the community — we are role models.”

Matthew Lodge (centre) during the Brisbane Broncos training session ahead of the Round 26 clash against the North Queensland Cowboys.

Woods still dipped his hat to Lodge for the way he had stuck to his task this year in the wake of his New York controversy.

Lodge avoided jail time over the US incident but is facing bankruptcy after a New York judge ordered him to pay the victims of his Manhattan rampage $US1.2 million in damages.

“He’s had two years out of first grade, he’s worked hard off the field doing a lot of stuff in the community and some rehab to sort himself out,” Woods said of his 2014-15 teammate.

“And he’s got a child on the way, he’s going to be a father. “I am happy for where he is at at the moment.”

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James Roberts (left) and former Broncos player Peter Ryan during the Brisbane Broncos training session on Monday.

All the tackling drills in the world won’t help Brisbane if they have not exorcised their mental demons over last round’s humiliating NRL loss to Parramatta, Woods says.

Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett reacted brutally to their last round 52-34 loss to the Eels, calling in ex-Broncos hardman and defensive specialist Peter Ryan to add starch to endless tackling drills at training this week. Woods admitted he was no stranger to being flogged after a loss at the Tigers. However, he warned the Broncos no defensive exercise would prepare them for Thursday night’s clash with a desperate North Queensland if they were not over last round’s loss.

Especially the way it started.

Eels winger Kirisome Auva’a scored the NRL’s fastest try when he pounced on an Adam Blair error and crossed in 12.88 seconds.

Parramatta went on to blitz a shell-shocked Brisbane to lead 24-0 early and 30-10 by halftime.

Brisbane are expected to face an equally primed Cowboys team that must win to clinch a finals spot.

“If they let a try in early it’s how they react, it is more mental,” Woods told Fox Sports’ NRL 360 program.

“You can bash each other at training and do all your tackles but in the game it’s more fatigue (is a factor).

“And that’s what you can’t prepare for at training because there is no situation at training that prepares you for that.

“So if the Cowboys score early, how will they react?” Woods could still feel for the Broncos after watching footage of them being flayed by Ryan at training.

“They are not the weeks you look forward to,” he said.

“I remember under Sheensy (ex-Tigers coach Tim Sheens) after getting beaten by Souths by 50.

“We usually had Tuesdays off but Timmy was like ‘nup’ — we spent an hour in the sand pit and then another hour on the field with all our tackle pad gear on. “We were bashing each other for two hours.

“And then Timmy was like ‘you boys know how to tackle now? Well do it on the weekend’.”