2013 Super Bennie Westwood Testimonial Brochure

WILLIE POCHING
I first met a young fresh faced Ben
Westwood when I first arrived at Wakefield
in 1999. I had come across to play for
the Wildcats who were newly promoted
to Super League, and it was on arrival to
one of my first training sessions that I was
to meet a group of young apprentices of
whom Ben was a part of.
There was a group of about 2 or 3 to start
with and they were all signed to play for
the academy team that’s was being put
together by a fella of the name of John
Harbin.
Things were never going to be easy for
this group and it never was. I recall one of
their first ever games where they barely
had enough players to go out onto the
field. John worked tirelessly to put a team
together and 4 weeks later the were to
play against St Helens in a curtain raiser
at Barnsley Football’s Oakwell Stadium.
The young fellas were
outstanding- only narrowly
being beaten and it was to
the beginning of
something special for a
quite a few of that group.
They had people like
Gareth Ellis, Danny
Brough, Paul “Tiger”
Handforth, and of course
our very our Bennie
Westwood- who I would
have was SUPER on this
night too.
The young academy team was to go on to
record more than their share of victories
from that night on and Ben was a shining
light playing on the wing, in the centres,
2nd row, and dabbling at prop. But it was
to be on the wing that Ben was to make
his Super League bow, coming on against
Gateshead Thunder in an away match
in the penultimate match of the 1999
season.
With our Super League place guaranteed
for the next season, we headed in to the
last couple of games with an opportunity
to blood a couple of young lads from
the success story that was the academy
team. Here we are playing at the
Gateshead International Athletic Stadium
and after about 60 mins we are behind by
about 50-60 points. It is around this time
that Ben is introduced to the rigours and
tension of Super League- so he is to think.
Barely on the field a minute, one of the
Thunder lads bust through our line. Who
was the unfortunate one this time to miss
the tackle- poor young BEN. The fella who
makes the bust goes on to score putting
us further behind.
The consequences of Ben’s mis-tackle
really come to light behind the sticks when
our captain- the International and very
seasoned and very intimidating pro- Tony
Kemp, turns to Ben and says “Bloody hell
Ben. Do you know we could have still won
the game if you hadn’t missed that tackle!!
What do you we do now?”
The look on poor Ben’s face was a
picture. I think when he saw us all laugh
at his reaction- he was able to relax and in
true Super Ben style he was able to go on
to have a strong finish to the game.
A season on and even with some big
name recruits to the club, Ben was able to
string together a few more games- mostly
in the centres or on the wing and always
showing a tenacity with that raw boned
power that has been his trademark.
I left Wakefield by the time
Ben had moved to
Warrington and to come to
the Wolves and work with
him again has been
fantastic. People in
Wakefield always ask
me how he is? Has he
changed? I tell them all
that he is still the same
kid that arrived at the club
fresh from the Normanton
Knights and he will always
be the same kid. He plays the same way
too and he has more than made up for
that missed tackle against Gateshead.
John Harbin once told that
young group that “One daysomeone
in this room will play
for Great Britain. Who that is
up to you.”
Ben it has been pleasure to watch your
career grow and watch you menace
and torment opposition teams. To achieve
the heights you have and the
determination you have always shown will
always be a highlight for me.
The mark you have left on the fans of
Wakefield and of Warrington as well
as those around the world, is true
testament to yourself and it has been
awesome to watch your story and career
unfold.
Well done Super Bennie Westwood - have
a great Testimonial lad!
GARETH ELLIS
I actually met Bennie for the first time
around 15 years ago when he came and
had a brief stint with my amateur club
Castleford Lock Lane.
A few years later we met again this time
playing for Wakefield academy under
John Harbin. Ben was one of the first
players to sign professional terms on
the apprenticeship scheme, I followed
sometime later along with quite a few
other players that have gone on to have
successful careers in super league. As
apprentices we had to perform jobs like
sweeping the terraces on a Monday
morning after the match, cleaning the
players boots and being beaten up by
the first team players whenever they had
a contact session, this is where Ben was
in his element trying to rough up and annoy
the players we looked up to.
“I’m extremely proud of
his achievements from
apprentice to international
rugby league player.”
Ben, then a centre was a clear stand
out in our academy team and would get
the man of the match most weeks and
it was no surprise that he was the first
to make his super league debut against
Gateshead thunder in September 1999.
With 10 to go and Wakey down by 50
or so Bennie threw an intercepted pass
which Gateshead went on and scored,
and just as a welcome to first grade
Tony Kemp gave Bennie a massive
spray behind the posts and blamed him
for losing Wakefield the game.
Wakefield gave us all a great grounding
in rugby league one that I’m sure Ben
and I will be forever grateful for.
Since moving on to Warrington
Bennie’s career has gone from strength
to strength with international honours
and in recent years the chance to play
on the big stage and compete for
challenge cup and grand final glory.
His popularity with the fans is
replicated in the changing rooms or in
the dining room whilst on international
duty amongst his fellow team mates.
Bennie is a real character and
someone I look forward to meeting up
with and playing alongside at the end of
each year.
Congratulations Ben on a fantastic
career to date and good luck with the
testimonial you fully deserve it.
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