By Jon Geddes

POWERFUL Randwick No.8 Ben Houston is the best thing to come out of the Wests Tigers NRL club this season.

The Galloping Greens’ captain spent four months training fulltime with the embattled outfit over the pre-season as he looked at making a switch of codes.

While an NRL career did not come to fruition, Randwick have reaped the rewards from Houston’s brave venture to the other side as he returned to Coogee Oval a far stronger player, both physically and mentally.

Houston’s performances since his safari to Tiger Town have been pivotal in Randwick’s outstanding season, culminating in this Saturday’s grand final showdown with Norths at Leichhardt Oval - which could have been Houston’s home ground this year.