2013 Super Bennie Westwood Testimonial Brochure

ANGELA POWERS
In all walks of life there are thinkers, there
are talkers and there are doers. Ben
Westwood would no doubt agree that he
falls into the latter category.
As a second rower though, it pays not to
think too hard about what you are doing
out there on the rugby pitch. The collisions
and impacts are so ferocious it’s better
just to steam in and worry about the
consequences later.
And that’s what Bennie does - more than
any other player on the team, evidenced
by his position as
Warrington’s top
tackler for two
years running.
But to write Ben off
as a ‘pack grunt’
would be to do him
a huge disservice.
He might not be
the go-to man in
the squad for
interviews and
quotes, but those
who bother to make the effort will find a
man who has plenty to say.
Quietly spoken and unassuming in formal
occasions off the pitch, he has developed
over the years a quiet confidence in front
of the TV cameras and around journalists.
His opinions are forthright and his
arguments well-formed; it’s just that like
most of the big, physical men in our game,
he’d rather leave the talk and interviews to
those happier to hog the spotlight.
Mind you some of that might also be down
to his roots.
Yorkshire men are renowned for their
ability to boil a page into a paragraph, and
a sentence into a single word. Ten years
plying his trade this side of the Pennines
has done little to soften those Normanton
edges. It’s in the DNA.
And Yorkshire doesn’t equal dour when it
comes to our Bennie. He’s got a dry sense
of humour which came to the fore during
his stint with England in the Four Nations
last year.
Not many could sincerely apologise to the
neighbours for leaving his wheelie bin
out back in Warrington - while standing
outside Buckingham Palace.
And anyway, he
reckoned, Buck
House was only a
little bit bigger than
his stately home
back in
Grappenhall, ‘the
posh side of
Warrington’. And
his gates were
more impressive.
Ten years as a ‘wire’
have seen Big Ben
grow as a player,
and the last three or four years have seen
him positively blossom.
He’s made the Dream Team, the England
side and a Challenge Cup Final twice,
displaying the grit and vigour that have
earned him his own chant from the
terraces.
One of the most popular items in the club
shop was a T-shirt with a design that
mimicked the Super Man logo but was
adapted to refer to Super Bennie
Westwood.
Super heroes are 99 times out
of 100 the strong, silent type
who say little but do a lot.
That sums up our Bennie.
He’s a doer - and long may he continue
JON CLARKE
I have been honoured by being asked
to pen a few words about my great
mate Bennie Westwood.
I first met him when he was
transferred from Wakefield in 2002
reputedly as a flying winger. I’m not
sure where that career went, but, I have
had the pleasure and satisfaction to
see him develop into one of the best
back row forwards in the world.
His appetite for doing the “hard & dirty”
part of the game is legendary.
Look at game stats:
Who takes the ball up most ?
Bennie
Who makes most tackles ?
Bennie
Who by putting his body on the line for
the full 80 minutes of every game gives
his all for the team with no regard to his
own self preservation ?
Bennie.
These are traits that mark him out as
special and a player who would be
first choice on any team in the Rugby
League.
Off the pitch he is a great
role model for any Dad. He
always puts his kids first
and spends huge amounts of
time with them.
He is a great mate and we have spent
some great times together,
particularly in the early days with Natty
Wood (which I better not go into too
much detail about).
His renowned level of modesty and
his ability to laugh at himself make him
OFF THE PITCH an endearing
character and great fun to be with.
A great player, a great person, a guy I
am proud to say he is my mate.
I wish him all the best in his
Testimonial year and can think of
no better person who deserves this
honour.
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