Raiders legend Simon Woolford has been in his son Zac's corner every step of his rugby league career, and that didn't change when it came time to keep the rookie hooker in green beyond this NRL season.
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Zac Woolford won't be expecting his father to take up a managerial role full-time though, despite the club great successfully securing a two-year contract for the No.9 following weeks of negotiations.
"I told him I'll do this one and that's it. It's not something I enjoyed or something I plan to do again," the former Raider said frankly.
"Zac didn't want to get another manager involved because he wanted to stay in Canberra, he was happy there and felt he owed the Raiders, so we didn't want anyone shopping him around. We wanted to keep it between us and thankfully it worked out pretty well.
"I think Zac got a deal that's fair for where he's at, and the club got a fair deal as well. It was a win-win and we are forever grateful for the faith and opportunity the club gave him and I like to think he's repaid that faith.
"We did our homework and had a fair idea what Zac was worth. We got close enough to that and now he has got to back himself and get on with the job."
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The 25-year-old described re-signing with the Raiders as a "dream come true" with the "special" history the Woolford name has at the Canberra club.
"I didn't really want to go anywhere else," he said. "I had a talk to dad about going down that route [joining another club], but it's just something I never wanted to explore. This feels right for me. I grew up supporting the club.
"I came down here with nothing to lose, and it's led to a two-year deal. I'm over the moon and I really want to kick on now and prove that I'm not just a one-hit wonder."
The hooker's re-signing was officially confirmed on the same day as the Raiders locked in exciting back James Schiller and 21-year-old prop Ata Mariota on two-year deals, with experienced five-eighth Matt Frawley also landing a one-year extension.
There have been recent reports of a new contract for coach Ricky Stuart, however it is understood the club is still in talks to retain him beyond his current deal which expires at the end of next season.
Woolford has been a solid performer in the No. 9 jersey since his shock NRL debut in May, working in rotation with Tom Starling coming off the bench. He played over 80 NSW Cup games since 2017 with the Bulldogs, Knights and Newtown Jets, but it was at the same club his dad excelled that he finally got a taste of first-grade.
Woolford joined the Raiders this year when the injury-hit Canberra squad were in desperate need of added depth and after only three games in the reserves, he earned a call-up and hasn't looked back since.
"Now it's about building on all those little things that I'm starting to implement in my game," Woolford said ahead of the Raiders' clash against the Warriors on Saturday afternoon.
"The boys have made me feel at home and I feel like I belong. Hopefully we can start stringing some wins together and get some really good form leading into the finals."
With the ups and downs Woolford has experienced, his father said the family are still in awe of what the rake has achieved, but teased that he is still yet to reach his potential.
"It was extra special for Zac to make his debut at home. We're all still pinching ourselves," Woolford senior said. "We didn't think that day was ever going to come to be honest, especially in Canberra.
"For different reasons it just hasn't happened for him over the years, but now he's here he's shown what he's capable of and that he can handle it.
"He's got a lot more to give. He's getting the forwards rolling, and his service and dummy-half craft is his strength. The more comfortable he gets, he'll start to back himself more and you'll see him do even more."
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