Tom Woolaston: Veteran prop named Bears' best and fairest

This year Woolaston fulfilled his goal of having a return season with the Bears, while spending time with his family after years spent playing footy in Newcastle and Brisbane.

The 31-year-old is now considering a move to Cairns early next year. His fiancee, Chloe Hampton, hails from Mareeba in Far North Queensland.

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The couple will marry at Yamba on February 2. "Just with intimate family," Woolaston said. "Only a very small wedding."

If Woolaston relocates to the tropics, he would go out a winner: the front-rower has been named North Tamworth's best and fairest for 2021.

It was a season that ended prematurely in the penultimate round, after Delta's threat mushroomed, with Norths stuck in third place.

It was also a season that, despite its early demise, quenched Woolaston's thirst to play again for Norths, where he made his first-grade debut at age 18.

But it came a year late.

His return home ahead of the 2020 season came to pretty much nothing, after COVID-19 descended and the competition was abandoned before a game was played.

Woolaston stayed fit in preparation for the 2021 season.

It showed.

"I trained pretty hard," he said. "To get that reward [best and fairest] in the end is a pretty good feeling."

He added: "More than likely me and my partner will head to Cairns.

"But if not, that'll probably be it for the Bears ... I had a pretty crook shoulder [this year]. I'll attend to that and go from there. But never say never."

No name is more synonymous with North Tamworth than Woolaston.

The chance to play for Norths again while watched by his grandfather, the Bears' founding president Jack Woolaston, his father, former Bears captain-coach Peter Woolaston, and other family members was a profound experience for the former Brisbane first grader.

"As you know, the club means a fair bit to the Woolastons," the truck driver said. "I just wanted to come back and have one season where it all began."

Mission accomplished.

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