Aaron Woods insists he's in no rush to sort out his NRL future despite being told he's not needed at Cronulla in 2022.
The ex-Test and Origin prop in on the hunt for a new club and has already been linked to Brisbane and St George Illawarra.
A return to the Wests Tigers is also appealing for the 30-year-old former captain who made his debut at the club back in 2011.
With five rounds left until finals time is running out to find security for next season but Woods says he is trying to be more deliberate with his contract decision than he's been in the past.
"I haven't wanted to rush a decision," he said on Wednesday.
"You look back on things you've done and ways you've handled your situations and I look at myself and think I probably rushed my decision last time.
"I'm a realist. I'm coming to the back end of my career. I'm not one of the players on the market that they want to get straight away so the decision has to be good based on my family too.
"Last time there were other sources based on making that decision and now it's on my family and what makes me happy.
"I don't see any point in rushing it.
"The club has been really good to be here. The coach has been unreal. He's never put any pressure on me, as long as my main focus is on Cronulla."
In an ideal situation for Woods, the Cronulla team is in an NRL hub with the Dragons and the Tigers in Brisbane, giving him access to players and officials of both clubs.
"It's obviously all right being in the hotel, you get to speak to a few of the boys," he said.
"We've got the Dragons and Tigers players in the hotel here too.
"So I get to speak to them and ask them a few questions about what's happening at the club and all that.
"I'm a local junior of the (Tigers) and you never say no to the club that I did love playing for when I was there.
"It is quite appealing."
Australian Associated Press
