2013 Super Bennie Westwood Testimonial Brochure

MICHAEL MONAGHAN
I’ve being lucky enough to play with a lot
of great players during my career, names
like Mullins, Lyon, Stewart, Croker, and
Menzies. All these guys were extremely
gifted rugby league players, however
there’s a few players that have something
different, something that makes them
stand out from the rest.
These are the players you look for first
on the team sheet each week. If they’re
in your team, you know you’re in with a
shot, no matter what the opposition throw
at you.
They give you confidence that the result
will go your way, even before you’ve left
the dressing rooms. If they’re in the
opposition, you know you’ve got a tough
day at the office ahead of you, that
nothing is going to come easy for the next
80 minutes.
These players are few and far between,
players like Ruben Wiki, Ben Kennedy
and Adrian Morley.
Ben Westwood is one of these players.
Bennie plays the game tough, physical
and without an ounce of self preservation.
I’m sure the older Warrington fans who
long for a return of the glory days of
British rugby league in the 70’s and 80’s,
watch Bennie with a smile on their face
and a sense of nostalgia. He looks like
he’s been plucked from Wilderspool in
the mid 70’s and thrown into the modern
game.
If you watched him train you would swear
he had just rocked up at training on a
Tuesday night after a 9 hour shift in the
wire factory. However the moment he
steps on the pitch for a game, he gives
everything he’s got for 80 minutes.
As tough and uncompromising as he is,
Bennie possesses great skills for a
forward, no doubt due to the fact he
started his career and a centre. His
passing and off-loading make him a threat
every time he carries the ball. Bennie has
a greater capacity to push himself through
fatigue than any player I’ve played with or
against.
He relishes the physical battle
and has an unrivalled desire
to get on top of his opposite
number.
I have no doubt if you asked Bennie
during the game how long was left or
what the score was, he’d have no clue, in
fact he probably wouldn’t even know who
we were playing, he is just focussed on
doing his job, which is tackling anything
that comes near him and running over
anything that gets in front of him, and he’s
very very good at his job
ANDREW JOHNS
“The first time I ever heard of Bennie
was in 2005 when I joined
Warrington.
The first thing that struck
me was how big he was
across the back - he looked
like a Silver Back Gorilla.
Unfortunately for me Ben was out
injured when I played my first game for
the Wolves when we took on Leeds,
and I was very disappointed not to play
with him.
The next two games I played I found
Bennie to be my go-to man with his
size and strength.
Like all world-class forwards he is an
incredible athlete who started his
career in the Backs.
One thing I love about Bennie is his raw
aggression with and without the ball.
With this gift he had the ability to
intimidate.
Bennie is a very coach-able player,
he knows his job and the job of others
around him because of this he makes
players around him look better.
Another string to Bennie’s bow is his
goal kicking not to mention his dance
moves.....
Bennie’s in his early 30’s, but in
modern sport age is merely a number
and I can see him playing for many
years to come.
It is a pleasure to have played with
Bennie and I’m proud to calling him my
mate.
I wish him and his family all the best in
his Testimonial year.
SUPER BENNIE WESTWOOD TESTIMONIAL 2012 PAGE 21
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