The childhood bond between Alex Conti and Mitchell Woods, battle to be the Canterbury Bulldogs halfback, Lebanon, Rugby League World Cup, departure from the Tigers

Alex Conti and Mitchell Woods have taken different paths to the NRL in recent years, but the childhood mates remain united by a shared ambition to play alongside each other for the Canterbury Bulldogs.

Graduates of St Patrick’s College in Strathfield, the pair have known each other since their schoolboy days and formed a close friendship before representing the Under-16s NSW Waratahs and Bulldogs together.

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Now, as they both look to break into the Bulldogs NRL side, the duo have found themselves competing for the No. 7 jersey, with Lachlan Galvin already viewed as a long-term piece in the Bulldogs halves.

However, Conti said the competition has never come at the expense of their friendship or their ability to work together on the field.

“Not really. We’ve always been in contention. That’s just the love of the game that we have and we love playing together as well,” Conti said.

“We played together our whole schooling career, so that’s really important for us and we work well off each other and bounce well with each other.”

Although Woods was widely regarded as the more highly touted prospect of the pair growing up, a series of hamstring injuries has stalled his progress over the past couple of years.

Meanwhile, Conti has cemented his place in the Bulldogs reserve-grade halves and made his international debut for Lebanon last weekend.

Despite their differing journeys over the past 24 months, Conti is hopeful they can overcome their respective challenges and one day share the field together in Bulldogs colours.

“He’s had a rough couple of years,” Conti added.

“I’m very close with him and we played all our junior footy growing up together.

“Hopefully one day we’ll play together, but he’s getting back and he’ll be back better than ever.”

ALEX CONTI

While Conti’s long-term goal is to make his NRL debut next season, the young playmaker is in the midst of his maiden World Cup campaign with the Lebanon Cedars.

“It means a lot to represent my culture,” he said.

“(It’s) something I’ve grown up with from a young age and to put on the same jersey really means a lot. It’s a big honour.”

Conti’s international debut caps off a remarkable season for the 20-year-old.

He recently inked an extension to stay in Belmore after scoring ten tries, forcing eight drop-outs, and providing 16 try assists and 18 line-break assists in 17 appearances for their NSW Cup outfit.

“I’m pretty honoured to re-sign but I just got to play good footy so I’m going to focus on that,” Conti continued.

“Bulldogs have been great for me. They’ve really helped my development over the last four years being under them and given me a lot of opportunities to play my footy.”

The long-term extension comes after he arrived at the club following a stint in the Wests Tigers pathways system where he captained the Balmain Tigers in the Under-17s competition and was named in the 2022 Junior Blues squad alongside the likes of Jesse McLean and Samuela Fainu.

“I saw the direction the club was heading (which was) really strong),” he said.

“Ciro’s a great coach and being able to work in their pathways and being promoted into full-time is a real honour for me.”

With his sporting potential recognised from a young age, the talented playmaker could easily have ended up in the 15-man code.

Previously in the NSW Waratahs Academy and Under-16s Australian Rugby Union development squad, Conto was approached multiple times to switch over but decided to focus solely on rugby league.

“I ended up preferring (rugby league). I love my rugby union. Playing school footy was one of the best memories of my life,” he said.

“But at the end of the day I always preferred rugby league and just enjoyed it more.”

MITCHELL WOODS

A two-time Under-19s NSW Blues representative, Woods was earmarked to make his NRL debut during this year’s campaign.

However, a series of hamstring injuries derailed his progress and kept him on the sidelines for the entire campaign, except for one NSW Cup match where he re-aggravated the injury and couldn’t finish the contest.

On track to be available for Round 1 of the 2027 season, Woods idolised the likes of Andrew Johns, Johnathan Thurston and Nathan Cleary and has already drawn comparison despite being yet to play in first-grade.

This saw him on the radar of Aussie Rules and rugby union as a teenager before he ultimately signed a four-year contract (expires at the end of 2027) to remain in the 13-man code with the Bulldogs.

“I was always tossing and turning, but I always loved rugby league,” Woods told this columnist in 2024.

“It’s all I’ve watched, it’s all I bled, so I’d say it was always rugby league in the end.

“It’d be the dream (to wear the Bulldogs jersey). I just want to stay there for as long as I can. I love the club. I love being there.”