NSW Blues prop Aaron Woods supports calls for shorter State of Origin camps

BLUES forward Aaron Woods has backed calls for a reduction in the length of Origin camps as the blowtorch to NSW’s failed campaign continues.

Aaron Woods agrees Origin camps are too long. Picture: Gregg Porteous

BLUES forward Aaron Woods has backed calls for a reduction in the length of Origin camps as the blowtorch to NSW’s Origin preparations continues.

Woods also threw his support behind the Blues’ leadership group following Phil Gould’s criticism of the team’s culture.

Each camp has a 10-day preparation, with the Blues having used Kingscliff as their training base for games one and three, and The Star was home in Sydney for Origin II.

Woods said there was no need for such a big build-up, especially as the series evolves.

“The first camp you can have a bit longer because you need to get to know each other and the plays, what shape and structure you’re going to do,” Woods said. “Camps two and three you could probably get away with a week’s camp because if you do have a couple of guys coming in you just have to fill them in quickly.

NSW forward Aaron Woods has weighed in the criticism of the Blues’ ill-fated camps in Kingscliff and he agrees on one recommended change for Origin preparations in the future.

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Arron Woods has backed calls for shorter Origin camps. Picture: Gregg Porteous

“It’s more about getting to know your mate really well and that’s what you can do in the first camp with a couple of extra nights. Then if you want you can make it shorter for game two or three.”

While Woods said he has “not bought into” Gould’s stinging criticism of the Blues set-up he did leap to the defence of the leadership group.

“I’ve heard a couple of the boys talking about it,” said Woods, a captaincy candidate before the role was given to Boyd Cordner.

“(Gould) isn’t in the group so he doesn’t know what’s going on. That’s the hardest thing. We have a new captain this year in Boyd Cordner. He did a really good job after Paul Gallen moved on.

“It was an error of judgment (by some of the boys to drink).

James Tedesco says he’s looking forward to playing against former teammate Mitchell Moses.

“A couple of us went to the pub at Kingscliff. We didn’t drink. We had a bet. We normally do that. (Drinking) five or six days (out from a game) is probably not the best preparation. But I’ve played with blokes who have a couple of beers the night before a game and it gets the best out of them.”

Meanwhile, Woods and his club teammates are preparing to come head to head with ex-Tigers star Mitchell Moses on Sunday. For fullback James Tedesco, it means lining up against his housemate.

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“That has been some banter around the house,” Tedesco said. “We will have a laugh on the field. “It’s the first time we’ve come up against each other. We know each other’s game inside and out, it’s just a matter of stopping it.

“He has been playing good footy and I’ve enjoyed watching him. He was keen for that change. He was looking for a fresh start at Parramatta. He has settled in, he is winning games and playing good footy. He is a lot more happier around the house.”