NATHAN Wood is going home to Australia next week content in the belief that Warrington Wolves have a successful future ahead under the guidance of head coach Paul Cullen.

The end of this year's Grand Final dream leaves Wolves' vice-captain without a fairytale finish to his playing career but he hopes his teammates and coaches will learn from their play-off defeat against Hull and push on to better things.

His departing message, after spending three-and-a-half seasons with the club, also reveals the uncertainty the 32-year-old is feeling about his future and that he may not yet be ready to hang up his boots, despite having announced his retirement earlier this month.

The effervescent former Balmain, Sydney Roosters, New Zealand Warriors and Wakefield star, who likes a practical joke, is even suggesting that he may return to dancing as a stripper to make a living.

He said: "If I sit and dwell on the fact my careers over I'd probably become depressed so I'm not going to do that.

"I'll now cherish every moment that I've had with Warrington and I'm going to go home and see what happens from there.

"I've had a couple of little offers to come back over here in a player-coach role but I'm not committing to anything yet.

"I'm going home feeling satisfied with the year's work but at the same time not knowing what I'm going to be doing for the next 35 years of my life.

"I'll probably go back to stripping."

He was able to afford a smile on his face despite the team's overall devastation at going out of the play-offs at the first hurdle.

Wood said: "I've played in plenty of play-offs back home and you get used to dealing with it but to go out as we did against Hull is frustrating.

"As players you just have to learn from it. I do feel for the boys but they've just got to strive to achieve better than what we've done this year.

"I think we've done reasonably well this year considering the start of the year we had.

"We've caused plenty of upsets, we've definitely entertained the fans and we've given a good season's work. It's a shame it hasn't ended how everyone hoped it would.

"But I think Warrington are going to be a top-six team permanently and I think I can say that with the benefit of having been here long enough to get a feel for what this club is about and what the rest of the clubs are like.

"I just hope all the boys I'm leaving behind enjoy themselves and have very successful careers.

"And I hope that Cull (Paul Cullen) and all of the coaching staff gain a Challenge Cup or a Premiership success because they really deserve it.

"They put in a lot of hard work and make a lot of sacrifices.

"I'm sure Cull will go down in the history books as one of the greats. I think he is just in his teething years as a coach and he's learning from all of this just like the players are. I've no doubt Cull will have great success and I hope he does.

"He's a champion bloke and he's helped me so much. He's let me be the person that I am and never put any shackles on me and so it has helped me to play pretty well. He's a great mate of mine and always will be."

Wood will also be appearing in the history books - as the first player to score a try at The Halliwell Jones Stadium and the first player to score a hat-trick there too.

He will be remembered for joining Wolves' battle to stave off relegation in 2002, leading Wolves into the play-offs for the first time in 2003 and nipping off the field for a hot dog in celebration of a try he scored against Wigan last year.

His trademark left-sided powerful surges and non-stop energy in 96 appearances for Wolves will leave big shoes to be filled next season.

* Chris Bridge will battle for scrum half spot in 2006 - see page 41.