Ben Westwood's career has been elevated to new levels since his conversion from centres to back row at the start of 2005, culminating in a call up to the Great Britain standby squad for the Tri Nations in 2006. The Wolves' leading tackler in 2006 with 718, he has been the top tackler out of marker for the past two seasons. A very aggressive and direct physical runner who is a difficult player to bring down on the charge, Westwood was a centre through the early part of his professional career, emerging through Wakefield Trinity Wildcats Academy to make his Super League debut in 1999. His first representative honours came with the England U21 tour of South Africa in 2001, he joined the Wolves in a £60000 deal with the Wolves facing a relegation battle midway through the 2002 season and was immediately called up into the Yorkshire Origin side. Made his full England debut in 2004 and was named Player of the Tournament in the 2004 European Championships, Westwood was an accidental convert to the pack when the Wolves faced an injury crisis early in 2005, only to excel in the more physical environment of the forwards. Often used as a loose forward in 2006, the recruitment of Vinnie Anderson sees Westwood likely to move out to a wide-running position outside Lee Briers in the second row for 2007.