A few weeks after joining the ranks of players to make their All Stars debut before featuring in the NRL, Brent Woolf crossed off that career milestone in Round 1.
Opportunity was a major theme for coach Ronald Griffiths in his most recent Indigenous All Stars camp, where Woolf was one of three players handed their chance to play in the cultural showpiece event, before having run out in an NRL fixture.
For Woolf, it has always a dream to play NRL, but numerous long-term injuries including a ruptured ACL, two shoulder reconstructions and a grade four hamstring injury in the back end of last year, threatened to end his footballing career altogether.
However, he showed plenty of resilience to play more than 100 Queensland Cup games, including running out for Redcliffe in their 2024 grand final appearance, while this year’s All Stars clash in Hamilton hinted that his chance may soon come.
“(This has happened) way sooner, it was the first game of the year, I wasn't expecting to play Round 1, that's for sure,” Woolf said of a whirlwind few weeks.
“But that's footy, I guess sometimes opportunities happen and you've got to be ready.”
Originally named as 19th player, Kurt Donoghoe’s late scratching saw him come off the interchange bench for the Dolphins against the Rabbitohs, playing 25 minutes in a solid contribution in the middle.
However, such is the nature of rugby league, Woolf – who said he was engaged ‘as needed’ by the club on a train-and-trial basis – expected to be back playing in Cup this weekend, with Max Plath having made his earlier-than-expected injury return with Redcliffe.
Plath played 31 minutes alongside his younger brother Jordan, also a hooker, with Woolf hoping to leapfrog him in the starting side.
“But I think Maxy Plath played the Cup (today), so I think he needed to get some minutes, so I dare say he'd just be back in the team now; it'd be a swap for me and him," Woolf said.
"I'll probably be the one to start for Redcliffe Dolphins, I think though over his brother," he added with a laugh.
He also addressed the family connection, with Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf being his uncle and father Ben an assistant coach at the club. In his career, the younger Woolf is no stranger to being coached by the pair through his time at Townsville Blackhawks and Tweed Seagulls, with the duo always making him earn his place in the team on merit.
“They really stuck their necks out and put his (Kristian’s) reputation on the line if I was no good or if I wasn't up to it,” Woolf said of his Round 1 opportunity.
“He trusted me to play, he obviously thought I was ready, and people around him thought I was ready too.”
After the match, Woolf stood as his friend and former Redcliffe team-mate Aublix Tawha led a haka to celebrate the milestone. Now playing with the Broncos, the Dolphins handed him his NRL debut in Round 16 last season, going on to play nine NRL games with the club before joining the cross-town rivals.
“I've seen plenty of hakas from Aublix, he did one when I played 100 games as well, (and) I love seeing Aublix’s hakas,” Woolf said.
“He's very intense. He's a very good friend.
“I love that fella, so I'm glad I got to see it again.
“He always puts on a show for me.”
