Hodge

[andrew coombs]

The West Coast Eagles supporters appear to have an unhealthy, desperate need to rush to Cris Judds defence whenever Luke Hodge is mentioned. Only the very foolish and/or stupid can deny the incredible feats of of CJ place him as the number one player in the AFL. It is more than a little pathetic then that WC fans have to attempt to belittle an excellent player in LH with endless and mindless comparisons. Get over it.

 

[roy47]

As someone said before, it depends on what you want.

JUDD V HODGE
Speed v Aggression
Class v Skill
Will Power v Determination

We have seen the best of Judd (and will for some time)
Hodge will get better (than what he is now)

wish i had either at melbourne (maybe we will......)

 

[Fastback]

Yeah it just seemed stupid as Kirks widely regarded as one of that toughest in the league. I've never seen Hodge play out a Grand Final with a split open scalp, either.

Kirk is fearless, absolute warrior and inspiration, no doubt - but thats his trademark and is pivotal to the Swans style of play.

Hodge has many trademarks, jack of many, master of some.

 

[acuguy]

You do realise the year he was drafted to west coast was the year we were statistically one of the worst teams of all time...percentage of 65%, least point for, most points against, he didn't walk into a good team

The eagles still had a lot of talent on their books, unlike the Hawks. Your statistically worst team still on a regular basis gave the almighty lions a touch up when no other team could get near them. We can interpret statistics all that we want. The point is the West Coast Eagles were years infront of the Hawks when Judd came to them as oppose to Hodge's arrival, i am just glad that we have Judd one of the all time greats and Hodge who is really starting to make his mark. We now need to see Hodge tear apart the top teams, smashing the weaker teams is a sign of a good player, doing the same against the top teams is the sign of a great player

 

[Fastback]

The eagles still had a lot of talent on their books, unlike the Hawks. Your statistically worst team still on a regular basis gave the almighty lions a touch up when no other team could get near them. We can interpret statistics all that we want. The point is the West Coast Eagles were years infront of the Hawks when Judd came to them as oppose to Hodge's arrival, i am just glad that we have Judd one of the all time greats and Hodge who is really starting to make his mark. We now need to see Hodge tear apart the top teams, smashing the weaker teams is a sign of a good player, doing the same against the top teams is the sign of a great player

He was arguably BOG against the 2 current top teams.

 

[La Vache]

The eagles still had a lot of talent on their books, unlike the Hawks. Your statistically worst team still on a regular basis gave the almighty lions a touch up when no other team could get near them. We can interpret statistics all that we want. The point is the West Coast Eagles were years infront of the Hawks when Judd came to them as oppose to Hodge's arrival, i am just glad that we have Judd one of the all time greats and Hodge who is really starting to make his mark. We now need to see Hodge tear apart the top teams, smashing the weaker teams is a sign of a good player, doing the same against the top teams is the sign of a great player

Luke Hodge always performs against the Eagles, he was close to B.O.G last time and had a fantastic game at the MCG last season.

And as for Geelong, he absolutely dominates. These are the two top teams right now my friend.

 

[frankc]

Kirk? Don't make me laugh.
Do not even mention him in the same breath as hodge.

Kirk is a very good player but nowhere near Hodges class.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Totally and utterly missed the point of what I was saying.

My point is that Judd has played finals (and lots of them), and has proven himself on the game's biggest stages time and time again.

On the other hand, I honestly don't know if Hodge has even played finals (he probably did play a couple circa 2001, is that the year Croad hit the post from 60m in the last couple of minutes?), so he hasn't built a September resume like Judd has. Just can't compare a brilliant game in a 100-point flogging of a rabble like Carlton to, say, Judd's performance in the last 2 Grand Finals if you want to talk about "in the trenches".

Can't compare the two on a level playing field regarding their abilities under extreme pressure until the Hawks go deep into September (so maybe after this season?)

Had nothing to do with Hodge not leading his team to finals...the OP was saying that Hodge would be better to take into pressure situations than Judd, but compared to Judd he hasn't actually faced many such situations.

Hodge was drafted at the end of the 2001 season. Schwabbie traded Croad to Freo to get the first pick in the draft in order to take Hodge. Hodge has never played finals for Hawthorn, mainly because we've been poo in all that time (until this season, so far, touch wood).

 

[doppleganger]

Hodge reminds me so much of N.Buckley.

So far he has played all his footy in poor teams, had been used across HB by his coach which has meant that he cops it from some supporters unfairly

Like Buckley he has one of the best kicks going around, perhaps Hodge shanks a few more compared to Bucks but can drill a penetrating 60m pass like a few players can.

Hodge IMO also has had a few leadership queries in that he often loses his cool and starts given away stupid free kicks, where Buckley would criticise his team mates for not being at his level..........Buckley learnt from this and when he was handed the captaincy became a brilliant leader, think Hodge will do the same as he matures.

Buckley moved into more the middle and became an inside clearance specialist, who was also so damagin out wide......Hodge will do this to, already does some hawks fans may say

Both are big solid midfielders who lay heaps of tackles and inspire their team mates when out on the field

Both also have the size to pinch hit up forward too

Hodge has very similar tools to Buckley, seems he has a better list behind him, so he may get more team rewards if he is half a good as a leader as Bucks became!

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Whenever our midfield quartet are down, Hodge goes into the middle and invariably has influence in clearing the footy at the next stoppage. The truth is, though he was drafted as a midfielder, he has basically played in almost every position (except ruck) under Clarkson, particularly. Played a lot of last season and the first half of the 12 rounds to date in the backline, with stints in the midfield, then has been sent forward by Clarkson in the last couple of rounds particularly.

Very happy with Podge. Great 100 games!

 

[westhawk]

Yeh he's good...doesn't have a brownlow, premiership or norm smith yet...once he gets those, we'll have another look at the Judd vs Hodge question

Thats because the hawks have not had the success that WCE have had.So that is a crap comparison.If the situation was reversed, Judd would not have had the success if he was at hawthorn from the start.Wait a few years and you will find out who is the better footballer.Judd is a gun but he can not play the roles that Hodge plays.

 

[JKCeagle]

Hodge was drafted at the end of the 2001 season. Schwabbie traded Croad to Freo to get the first pick in the draft in order to take Hodge. Hodge has never played finals for Hawthorn, mainly because we've been poo in all that time (until this season, so far, touch wood).

Okay, thanks for clearing that up mate.

So after this year, when the Hawks will have played at least 1 final and thus Hodge will presumably have opened his September account, the endless Hodge vs Judd debates will have another aspect to factor in - performances under finals heat (ie. real pressure), which is when the truly elite set themselves apart

 

[The Kipster]

Yeh he's good...doesn't have a brownlow, premiership or norm smith yet...once he gets those, we'll have another look at the Judd vs Hodge question

You are a bonehead...Hodge can play in any position, Judd can't...the defence rests

 

[Alex_au]

I find it funny how West Coast supporters jump on Judd by saying he has won a brownlow, premiership and Norm smith. And that it makes him a better player then Hodge.

All those awards he has won are from him playing in a dominant team. Hodge has had to start his career at the opposite end of the board by working his way up through a struggling team to where he is now.

On the football ground I consider them even. Both great players!

 

[QL 21]

I find it funny how West Coast supporters jump on Judd by saying he has won a brownlow, premiership and Norm smith. And that it makes him a better player then Hodge.

All those awards he has won are from him playing in a dominant team. Hodge has had to start his career at the opposite end of the board by working his way up through a struggling team to where he is now.

On the football ground I consider them even. Both great players!

FFS, I hate it when people say this. You do realise when we drafted Judd, we finished 14th on the ladder. We were hardly a dominant team.

 

[Alex_au]

FFS, I hate it when people say this. You do realise when we drafted Judd, we finished 14th on the ladder. We were hardly a dominant team.

Dominant or not you guys still made the finals from 2002-2006.

There for it is stupid to say that Judd > Hodge due to the Medals and Premiership that Judd has. It was impossible for Hodge to win the above because he has not even played in a premiership let a lone a finals series.

Maybe it will be easier to compare the two players from 2007 and onwards as the gap between the two teams is not as great anymore.

 

[.Shotties.]

Kirk is a very good player but nowhere near Hodges class.

The toughness / resilience was being discussed and in that aspect, Kirk > Hodges.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

FFS, I hate it when people say this. You do realise when we drafted Judd, we finished 14th on the ladder. We were hardly a dominant team.

My problems with the comparisons are that from game 1, Judd was allowed to play midfield and do what comes naturally. His development came swift and sure. Hodge was given a variety of roles in unfamiliar positions, mainly in defence in a team that was being belted each week.

And I despise the suggestion that the Hawks made an error in choosing Hodge with their No. 1 pick. Hodge was precisely the style of player the Hawks were looking for, and no matter what Judd does with his career, we still made the correct choice. Hodge added some physicality to the Hawks that was sadly lacking. Draft picks are not about picking the best player, it's about picking a player that suits the needs of the club.

What a number of people may fail to realise is that when the Hodge/Ball/Judd decision had to be made, 12 clubs indicated Hodge would be their first priority, 2 clubs went for Ball, and 2 went for Judd. So for those rubbishing the Hawks for their selection, there were 11 other clubs who would have done the exact same thing. I know this to be true because the three players all had the same agent, and he announced this on radio a couple of seasons ago.

 

[Altum Volantes]

I can't believe it took Adelaide Hawk so long to comment on a Hodge (which of course, by association means Judd) thread.

Has to be some kind of record?

 

[MC_9]

FFS, I hate it when people say this. You do realise when we drafted Judd, we finished 14th on the ladder. We were hardly a dominant team.

Are you serious, Eagles have played in every single final series since Judd has been in the side.

Hodge has played in 0. You cannot compare the two teams.

 

[MC_9]

The toughness / resilience was being discussed and in that aspect, Kirk > Hodges.

Dont underestimate Hodges toughness.

i would say Kirk=Hodge in thoughness.

 

[Binxy]

Hodgey brings so much more to the Hawks than just skill - he is a perfect fit.

 

[Milkman]

He's pretty good, but no Judd.

 

[Wowser]

You were bound to get one right. Thankfully it only took 2 attempts. Hodge is a good player, not as hard at as Kirk however, who is the benchmark of the AFL in terms of 'going into the trenches'.

You need your ego stroked consistently dont you?
Why do you need to make every thread about your team.

Did mommy take you away from the boozy early or what?

 

[QL 21]

Are you serious, Eagles have played in every single final series since Judd has been in the side.

Hodge has played in 0. You cannot compare the two teams.

Funny that, just shows how good Judd really is.