Luke Hodge 2008

[hodge_15]

This is becoming a joke... Luke Hodge a soft player who gathers cheap kicks along the half back line?

Luke Hodge is a great player, and has improved dramatically this year. Over the past couple of week i've been hearing all this bashing of Hodge, it is going to far.

Hodge is starting in the backline for a reason, if we really needed Hodge in the forward or up in the midfield dont you think he would be there since he is our bestand most important player. Over the years Hodge has been playing all over the ground in positions where he has been needed the most, through the tough times he was need up in the forward line and in the midfield. Now we don't need to play him in these positions since we have a packed midfield with Mitchell, Sewell, Lewis, Ellis ect and the BEST forward line in the competition. We need him down back

Hodge is making one of Hawthorns weaknesses a strong point, as you might see Hawthorn has quite a young and undersized backline and it is obvioulsy the weakness of this team, he has been playing down there to help out, we NEED him there, we don't really need him in the midfield(although sometimes it would be nice), we certainly dont need him up forward, we have to have him there to make Hawthorn a stronger team.

He isn't just a floating back cheap kicking player. Anyone who has watched the Hawks over the past 2 months and especially last week would have seen what a effect Hodge has had on this team playing in the backline. Last week he was clearly second if not best on ground with only rakcing up 16 possesions, that has to tell you something. He took 6 or 7 contested pack marks in the back 50, he stormed through the lines and hit targets on the chest 50 metres away.

There has been all this talk about whos the better player Judd or Hodge, who cares they are both fantastic football players, but don't you think this year Hodge has been better? But to be better you have had a better career and thats definetly Judd with the huge amount of achievement's he has picked up.

I want everyone on this board to watch Hodge this week and look at the enourmas impact he has on the team, during the game and during half time. He is a huge leader of this team.

Stop the bashing.

 

[McManus2Waterhouse]

honest half back flanker wouldnt want to see him against an opponent though same goes for the rest of hawthorns back line though

 

[Crimson King]

Would love to have him at the Eagles.

 

[KaLL]

Hodge is a gun. The end.

 

[hodge_15]

If our defence is so bad why are we second on the ladder? and how did we beat essondon by 50 with lucas and lloyd and fremantle by 70 with pavlich..

 

[Judd2Sewell]

It's no coincidence that we've, once again, started on our winning ways since he's been moved down back. He covers an (the) obvious weakness in our line-up.

People seem to forget how dominant he was earlier this season in the midfield and up forward.

 

[jonoman89]

Hodge is a gun, no one really thinks he isn't.

It's just a bit rich saying he is "better" than many A grade midfielders such as Judd, Harvey, Ablett etc. when he clearly isn't because he doesn't play there. Those three blokes get contested ball in the midfield, break tags, deliver inside 50 and win clearances.

Hodge provides an extra man in marking contests, can set up play brilliantly, and generals the defence.

A good midfielder is more important than a good HB player. That's why Hodge can never be seen as valuable as A grade midfield talent.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Hodge is a gun, no one really thinks he isn't.

It's just a bit rich saying he is "better" than many A grade midfielders such as Judd, Harvey, Ablett etc. when he clearly isn't because he doesn't play there. Those three blokes get contested ball in the midfield, break tags, deliver inside 50 and win clearances.

Hodge provides an extra man in marking contests, can set up play brilliantly, and generals the defence.

A good midfielder is more important than a good HB player. That's why Hodge can never be seen as valuable as A grade midfield talent.

LOLOLOL.

Hodge can, (has) and does dominate in the midfield.

You seem to either fail, or are too ignorant, to realise he is needed more down back. We can cover for him in the midfield with the likes of Lewis, Ellis and Sewell not tagging.

Make no mistake once our backline gets sorted out and we throw another big body down there Hodge will be straight back into the midfield. And there he will pick up where he left off - dominating.

 

[JohnD]

Hodge is not a midfielder.

Hodge is an unaccountable half back flanker.

Hodge cannot handle an opponent.

These are not the droids you are looking for.

 

[AGC]

If our defence is so bad why are we second on the ladder? and how did we beat essondon by 50 with lucas and lloyd and fremantle by 70 with pavlich..

Because your forward line is good...

 

[EB&W Pieman]

A wonderful footballer. He would be captain-coach at Collingwood.

 

[yardenlavy]

Hodge is not a midfielder.

Hodge is an unaccountable half back flanker.

Hodge cannot handle an opponent.

These are not the droids you are looking for.

it says you support hawks but with a comment like that im wondering if its all bullshit

and i agree hodge is a gun! he can play anywhere thats the thing if u sent judd up back or in the forward line he wouldnt be as dominating as hodge would ok judd and g abblett dominate the centere but hodge could do just as well but send g abblett and judd down back or up forward they wouldnt in a life time have as much impact as hodge does and can

now dont come getting angry carlton of geelong sups cause i didnt say they couldnt pl,ay there i said they wouldnt be as damaging as hodgey

but this is all waste of typing cause its not about what the individual does or how well he goes its about how he can help his team and how well his team goes and i think that hodge judd and abblett all have equal impact on the role

 

[JohnD]

it says you support hawks but with a comment like that im wondering if its all bullshit

You think so ?

 

[Upgrayedd]

Would walce into most teams and immediatly be in the leadership group, fantastic player

People saying he's not an A grade midfielder dont know what they are talking about, earlier this year he was in the middle and was doing well (top 15 players in the league)

How people quickly forget after 10 weeks, he was only moved back to play 100% back against brisbane

 

[monday-expert]

Funny how the really good players always seem to cop more crap than the truly mediocre ones.

 

[Drummond]

Best player in the league.

Absolute gun. Love him.

 

[jonoman89]

LOLOLOL.

Hodge can, (has) and does dominate in the midfield.

You seem to either fail, or are too ignorant, to realise he is needed more down back. We can cover for him in the midfield with the likes of Lewis, Ellis and Sewell not tagging.

Make no mistake once our backline gets sorted out and we throw another big body down there Hodge will be straight back into the midfield. And there he will pick up where he left off - dominating.

Obviously the simplicity of the post went over your head. Hodge doesn't dominate the midfield. If he had he'd get more brownlow votes and AAs there. He can play there, and play it well, but he is not an AA midfielder. If he was teamed up against Ablett he would be torn to shreds.

Hodge is one of the most verstaile players in the game, and that means he is very valuable. But his lack of being a genuine out-and-out gun in a pivotal role means he isn't in the same league as others.

He would still walk into any teams best 22, but it's insulting to call him better than Judd or Ablett or another top shelf midfielder. He isn't....because he isn't a feaking midfielder!

You might as well compare Buddy Franklin to Andrew Mackie. Both completely different players with compeltely different roles. If i was comparing Fev to be "better" than Matthew Scarlett i'd get the same response you get about Hodge.

That said, he deserved AA - no doubt about that.

 

[Power King]

He's an absolute gun.

Really suited toward his 'quarterback' role because he can provide a contest in the air, obviously knows how to set up, is a tough bastard that can actually defend.

Having said that, I always think it seems as though it's a bit of a waste to have the #1 player of the greatest draft we've ever seen, play a quarterback role. Am I the only one who thinks this?

Then again, hawthorn made it into the prelims comfortably with Clarkson's guidance. What do I know lol

 

[Mr Lizard]

Hodge is not a midfielder.

Hodge is an unaccountable half back flanker.

Hodge cannot handle an opponent.

These are not the droids you are looking for.

Help me, JohnD, you're my only hope.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Obviously the simplicity of the post went over your head. Hodge doesn't dominate the midfield. If he had he'd get more brownlow votes and AAs there. He can play there, and play it well, but he is not an AA midfielder. If he was teamed up against Ablett he would be torn to shreds.

Hodge is one of the most verstaile players in the game, and that means he is very valuable. But his lack of being a genuine out-and-out gun in a pivotal role means he isn't in the same league as others.

He would still walk into any teams best 22, but it's insulting to call him better than Judd or Ablett or another top shelf midfielder. He isn't....because he isn't a feaking midfielder!

You might as well compare Buddy Franklin to Andrew Mackie. Both completely different players with compeltely different roles. If i was comparing Fev to be "better" than Matthew Scarlett i'd get the same response you get about Hodge.

That said, he deserved AA - no doubt about that.

*Sigh*

Or rather, the simplicity of the situation has 'gone over your head.'

Hodge is required to play in the backline at the moment, for the sake of the side. Not because he's a better defender, not because he's 'not a midfielder,' but because he's required to act as a stop-gap and fill a void that's been exploited by other sides during the season.

In short, he is more valuable to our set up playing in the backline CURRENTLY due to our lack of big bodies down there.

We have noone else that can provide what he does, for the side, in defence. He can be covered aptly in the midfield by Lewis, Sewell and Ellis - which helps him gain valuable experience.

If you can't wrap your head around that there's no hope for you, but I'm sure you can as you seem to be one of the intelligent people around these parts.

And on a side note just farqing watch a few games from the start of the year, last season, and the season before if you want to watch Hodge dominate games from the middle of the park. Better yet whip out our 100 point thumping of your mob from last season. Furthermore your comparisons are not only humorous, but well wrong.

Something like Waite/Walker playing all over the park, or the highly touted ruckman/#1 draft pick Kruezer playing at CHF would be a better comparison.

 

[Subtemperate]

Well those who think playing at half back means your not an elite midfielder, should take out the tapes of the careers of people such as Nathan Buckley, Paul Williams, Peter Matera... amongst others... who played in the back half due to the side needing them there.

Hodge is a gun, those arguing that he isn't a gun midfielder need to realise when you have a great player you put him where he is most effective for the team. Why put him up against ablett and maybe get a 50/50 game, when you can move him against a nobody and have him tear the opposition up.

And lets be honest, you don't have to be all that good to beat any particular midfielder on the day... Rhys Shaw handed Chris Judd a bad day or two, and who would argue that makes Rhys in the same class lol

 

[Coach Bombay]

Don't understand the people saying Hodge doesn't dominate as a midfielder. Very reliable and excellent when playing in the midfield. He certainly knows how to take a contested mark and has truckloads of courage, plus his kicking is precise making him perfect for the role he plays now. It seems people think he's played his whole career their. I was under the impression that he their to fill a void in that space with Campbell Brown moving forward but i could be wrong.

If a team was to tag him, Clarko could just chuck him up forward. He kicked 15 goals 0 behinds over a period of 7 games this year.

 

[Consumed]

Anyone who under-rates Hodge obviously is a troll or doesn't understand the game.

The OP is just joining a long list of Hawthorn posters who lack confidence and need everyone saying great stuff about everything Hawthorn.

There are some Hawk Posters who need to toughen up.
You know who you are.

 

[ChisBlues]

it says you support hawks but with a comment like that im wondering if its all bullshit

and i agree hodge is a gun! he can play anywhere thats the thing if u sent judd up back or in the forward line he wouldnt be as dominating as hodge would ok judd and g abblett dominate the centere but hodge could do just as well but send g abblett and judd down back or up forward they wouldnt in a life time have as much impact as hodge does and can

now dont come getting angry carlton of geelong sups cause i didnt say they couldnt pl,ay there i said they wouldnt be as damaging as hodgey

but this is all waste of typing cause its not about what the individual does or how well he goes its about how he can help his team and how well his team goes and i think that hodge judd and abblett all have equal impact on the role

Oh dear, new to watching footy are you ?
Where did Ablett start his career & where do you think he dominated at the start of his career ? Ablett has only played predominately midfield for the last two years.
As for Judd, if he was told to be a permanent forward he would be more than capable & Hodge woul;d not cast a shadow over him.
As for playing backline Hodge certainly has the record over Ablett & Judd & I can't imagine Ablett or Judd being accountable in the backline but they could play the loose man in defence easily.
As for playing centre, Ablett & Judd have it over Hodge. Hodge is great in the centre but the other two are better.

 

[Beckers]

Why are you trying to convince people? Anyone that thinks he gets soft kicks is a moron!