Woods has been part of the pre-season hard slog in Wollongong for a month and revealed on Tuesday that casual chats with Dragons coach Anthony Griffin, in the Brisbane COVID bubble last season, helped reinvigorate his career.

Turning 31 in March, Woods has played 233 NRL games, as well 17 for Australia and 14 for NSW, since making his debut back in 2011.

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But far from contemplating the twilight of a career at the Wests Tigers, Canterbury and the Dragons bitter rivals Cronulla, Woods said he still has some of his best footy ahead of him.

"Definitely, it's a massive challenge," he said.

"I've been around for a while now, this is my 12th season, but I just want to learn and get better as well.

"When I had those chats with Hook (Griffin), there are areas in my game that I want to work hard on and he agreed and says he's really going to help me and drive me to do that as well.

"He's not a coach who walks by the tough questions, he always comes in and give it to you straight, it's something I really enjoy and it's something I want to work hard on and gain the boys' respect."

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Woods only scored six tries in four seasons with the Sharks, but remarkably three of those came in the derby against the St George Illawarra.

And while fans might have 'disowned' him in the Shire, Woods is embracing being on the other side of the divide, with a tantalising round three showdown against his former club looming at WIN Stadium.

"We used to love it at Cronulla, we used to say we were the little brother, so I might be the big brother now," he said.

"It's one game that you always highlight on the calendar, the fans love it, everyone in the Shire loved it.

"And you see a few people there, they can't believe I'm playing in the Red V now, they want to disown me.

"But it is what it is, I can't wait to play."

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Betting agencies have the Dragons as rank outsiders, with a $51 quote on offer, but Woods is adamant some fans and rivals cannot write them off next year, after recruiting Jayden Su'a, Francis Molo and George Burgess, as well as Woods.

"The Red V, they were going really well, they surprised a few people last year, until they obviously had a few things go on off the field," Woods said, after the Dragons had mass suspensions following a party at now Bulldogs prop Paul Vaughan's house while in COVID lockdown.

"But that's what happens in footy and we've moved on from that, we've got depth, we've signed some really key players.

"And guys like Tariq Sims, who played Origin last year and Ben Hunt, if we can get a lot out of Hunty, he played some really good footy last year, barring injuries.

"I think we're going to be a team that people are gong to have to take seriously."

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