Wests Tigers officials have written to the NRL club’s members to ask them to stop booing captain Aaron Woods, who was jeered throughout the first half of Sunday’s 18-12 win over Canterbury, the club who are believed to have snared the prized signature of the representative prop.

The Tigers skipper was also jeered when he received the Anzac medal man-of-the-match award, after both he and fullback James Tedesco failed to meet a club-imposed deadline to re-sign last Friday.

Big names step up as Tigers catch a break against Bulldogs in NRL Read more

But while new coach Ivan Cleary said post-match that fans paid their money and had a right to express their opinion, the club on Monday labelled the behaviour “unfortunate” and “incredibly disappointing”.

“We love the passion that our members and fans show week in, week out, but ask that this passion is directed at the players in a positive way,” chief executive Justin Pascoe said. “Aaron is our captain, a local junior and again showed tonight his character in his professionalism and dedication to his team mates.”

Pascoe’s request was backed by chair Marina Go. “I’d like to call on them to support all of our players, whether they are going to be with Wests Tigers beyond this year or not,” Go wrote. “Every player that pulls on the Wests Tigers jersey puts his all into every performance and they deserve the support of all Wests Tigers supporters.”

While Tigers fans had given up hope of retaining their captain on Sunday, team-mate Elijah Taylor said he still believed he could be playing alongside Woods and Tedesco next year. And he says it’s a feeling shared amongst a number of the Tigers players.

Woods has been linked to Canterbury while Tedesco is believed to have been won over by the Sydney Roosters, but both have denied putting pen to paper with either club.

Taylor said on Monday he still held out hope of the pair remaining at Concord. I’m not giving up – not at all,” he said. “I know a lot of the boys aren’t. They’re loved here at the Wests Tigers but they’ve all got families they have to look after. They all know that rugby league is a short career. The boys will support them no matter what they do.”