Luke Hodge - where is he at?

[TyHawk]

Need to play Hodge in the middle rotating from Half Forwrd! One of the Best clearance players I have seen, particularly from 2005 - 2008! Then in 2010! With Mitchell out this makes it even more important that Hodgey goes in the guts! His better games have Been in the middle this year so far and has a knack of kicking goals whenever he plays there. We can't afford Hodgey to have too many bad games as Sewelly is really worrying me and obviously no Sammy!

 

[Harper_Hawk]

For mine, Hodge is easily our best player.....By a country mile in fact.....He has more natural ability in one hand than Sam Mitchell has in his entire body; & has all the attributes of a complete player.

My criticism of Hodge has always been that his level of dedication, discipline & professionalism to his craft, is a fair way behind that of Sam Mitchell!

Fact is, as it currently stands, I for one will remember Sam Mitchell as a Champion player of our club & Hodge as somewhere just behind him, yet their abilities suggest that it should be the other way around; And by a fair margin!

Hodge should be top 5 in the league on most indicators IMO, not just this year, but for most of them since his stellar year in 2005 (injuries permitting)....That he hasn't been, is an utter travesty!....The fact that a hack like Swan has been able to do this over the past 5 years, says it all really.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan....He's had an excellent career so as far as AFL standards are concerned.....But it could have been one of the Great careers!

He still has time to rectify that to some extent!....Leading from the front in the middle of the ground in a comprehensive win over both the Cats & in a Big Final would go some way to alleviating that gap!

2008 Grand Final. Not as Captain but as A leader.

But there part of I agree with you. He needs to leave the game with some more silver and gold. He is a GUN player. If he takes us to victory this year as back to back captain given what we have endured thus far. We may need a rethink of your post. Time will tell.

 

[Brishawk]

For mine, Hodge is easily our best player.....By a country mile in fact.....He has more natural ability in one hand than Sam Mitchell has in his entire body; & has all the attributes of a complete player.

My criticism of Hodge has always been that his level of dedication, discipline & professionalism to his craft, is a fair way behind that of Sam Mitchell!

Fact is, as it currently stands, I for one will remember Sam Mitchell as a Champion player of our club & Hodge as somewhere just behind him, yet their abilities suggest that it should be the other way around; And by a fair margin!

Hodge should be top 5 in the league on most indicators IMO, not just this year, but for most of them since his stellar year in 2005 (injuries permitting)....That he hasn't been, is an utter travesty!....The fact that a hack like Swan has been able to do this over the past 5 years, says it all really.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan....He's had an excellent career so as far as AFL standards are concerned.....But it could have been one of the Great careers!

He still has time to rectify that to some extent!....Leading from the front in the middle of the ground in a comprehensive win over both the Cats & in a Big Final would go some way to alleviating that gap!

One thing that hurts Hodge in comparisons with midifelders is his versatility. Has literally being moved to the part of the field where he is most needed. I thought he had an AA year last year (was superior to Mackie at very least!) playing in defence. Had Shoey being available all year we may have been able to spend more time in the midfield. In 2010 he was clearly the best player in the comp. He played mostly midfield but there was at least one game in which he played in the ruck. Seriously, the ruck.

This year he has played midfield and defence. Against Geelong he made some errors but when he went into the midfield he turned the game for us. Unfortunately with him out of the backline Cheney was left alone with Hawkins and got exposed. Similarly, Essendon didn't look like scoring until Hodge got injured. He has such a big influence on the match even though he may not be racking up the stats. And that is why I feel comparisons to midfielders are unfair. He hasn't been afforded the luxury of playing midfield year in year out. No doubt though he has massive influence on matches for us. Two injury riddled years have probably dampened his reputation a little but really that is a comment more on his consistency/longevity rather than his brilliance as a player. Mitchell hasn't had those injuries (until now). Makes it hard to compare them on that scale.

 

[Procrastinator35]

One thing that hurts Hodge in comparisons with midifelders is his versatility. Has literally being moved to the part of the field where he is most needed. I thought he had an AA year last year (was superior to Mackie at very least!) playing in defence. Had Shoey being available all year we may have been able to spend more time in the midfield. In 2010 he was clearly the best player in the comp. He played mostly midfield but there was at least one game in which he played in the ruck. Seriously, the ruck.

This year he has played midfield and defence. Against Geelong he made some errors but when he went into the midfield he turned the game for us. Unfortunately with him out of the backline Cheney was left alone with Hawkins and got exposed. Similarly, Essendon didn't look like scoring until Hodge got injured. He has such a big influence on the match even though he may not be racking up the stats. And that is why I feel comparisons to midfielders are unfair. He hasn't been afforded the luxury of playing midfield year in year out. No doubt though he has massive influence on matches for us. Two injury riddled years have probably dampened his reputation a little but really that is a comment more on his consistency/longevity rather than his brilliance as a player. Mitchell hasn't had those injuries (until now). Makes it hard to compare them on that scale.

That's a fair answer there Brishawk....Yes, I'm aware of Hodge's injuries & the need for him to play stop-gap roles....But even when taking THESE factors into account, he still lacks the Consistency of Sammy by a fair margin.

We all know why he missed out on AA last year....A certain ****-stick by the name of Hero Head Healy!That's why.... And the same can be said for Josh Gibson, who for mine, has been by far the number one defender in the league for the last 3 seasons running!

It's no coincidence that in all 3 of our Grand Final appearances, our opposition has targeted MITCHELL as the number one target, as the CRUCIAL player to shut down!....That there is your number 1 indicator of who ranks where to be sure!

The place where a player can make the biggest difference is in the centre of midfield....I reckon it's more to do with Hodge's tank, or more precisely, lack thereof, for an explanation for his continued absence in our midfield.

We now have a myriad of options down back with the improvement of Litherland & Cheney, the availability of Spangher & the return of Stratton & Lake soon....I don't want to see Hodge wasted there ever again in a big important match or a Final!....Matches are won out of the middle, this is where you play your best players & where they earn their reputations by winning matches & turning games on a consistent basis, not by hiding them or wasting them in defence!

P.S. Lake was ready to play against the Cats....Our match committee ****ed up big time by wasting him at Box Hill, That's why we lost that game, nothing to do with Hodgey's absence from defence!...Lets call a spade a spade shall we!

 

[detox]

We now have a myriad of options down back with the improvement of Litherland & Cheney, the availability of Spangher & the return of Stratton & Lake soon....I don't want to see Hodge wasted there ever again in a big important match or a Final!....Matches are won out of the middle, this is where you play your best players & where they earn their reputations by winning matches & turning games on a consistent basis, not by hiding them or wasting them in defence!

The 2008 grand final, was absolutely, 100% won out of defence.

 

[toomanysquibs]

The 2008 grand final, was absolutely, 100% won out of defence.

So was last year, we didn't win the midfield then either. Defence and forwards did it for us.

 

[Main Man]

Was last seen having big impact on games at the MCG.

 

[Hodge2NormSmith]

Was last seen having big impact on games at the MCG.

This seems to be the norm, every once in a while he only has a marginal impact and a thread like this is born.

 

[checkraiseulite]

This seems to be the norm, every once in a while he only has a marginal impact and a thread like this is born.

usually when we play geelong, which is usually one of the 4-5 games per season in whcih we're pushed.

happy with his form generally since starting this thread though.

 

[Davo23]

usually when we play geelong, which is usually one of the 4-5 games per season in whcih we're pushed.

happy with his form generally since starting this thread though.

You're easily pleased, mate, I'm not.

He's been shocking and I, for one, don't know where he's at!

.

 

[Procrastinator35]

You're easily pleased, mate, I'm not.

He's been shocking and I, for one, don't know where he's at!

.

 

[checkraiseulite]

You're easily pleased, mate, I'm not.

He's been shocking and I, for one, don't know where he's at!

.

thanks brah. good value add.

 

[Davo23]

thanks brah. good value add.

Don't understand your poker lingo.

Speaka da Inglish!

 

[checkraiseulite]

just complimenting your posts. you've added a lot of value to this fred.

 

[Davo23]

just complimenting your posts. you've added a lot of value to this fred.

This thread belongs in the Classics.
Just like my thread back in 1975: "Leigh Matthews - Where is He At?"

I'm still fuming, to be fair.

 

[checkraiseulite]

This thread belongs in the Classics.
Just like my thread back in 1975: "Leigh Matthews - Where is He At?"

I'm still fuming, to be fair.

cool brah.

how many premierships have we won since this thread was started?

 

[Davo23]

cool brah.

how many premierships have we won since this thread was started?

Cool to you brah (not sure what that means, though).

I would have delisted Lethal Leigh in 1975.
If you Google "Lethal Leigh/no possessions/Grand Final 1975", you'll understand.

BigFooty ran hot that night.

 

[Main Man]

Bonehead thread of the year!!!

 

[MC_9]

Hodgeys last month has been very good. Has been spending a lot more time in the midfield, and is back to some of his best form.

Never doubt a champion.

Form is temporary, class is permanent.

 

[Procrastinator35]

Hodge's past month has been Huge; ably supported by his lieutenants in Lewis & Sewell....His very presence in the Middle makes a huge difference!....We'd do well to remember though that it's what Sam Mitchell does week after week, year after year!

 

[B&GBlood]

Get your hand off it Procrastinator, this horse is dead.

 

[Procrastinator35]

Get your hand off it Procrastinator, this horse is dead.

Actually if you read up a little you'll see that I wanted Hodge to be played in the middle by leading from the front & to lift his game in order to cover for the loss of Sammy....Job done B&GBlood!

P.S. Learn to read between the lines

 

[B&GBlood]

Well I am so happy for you to have been such a visionary.

Self praise........, you probably know the rest, now get back to whatever you should be doing.

 

[Procrastinator35]

Well I am so happy for you to have been such a visionary.

Self praise........, you probably know the rest, now get back to whatever you should be doing.

 

[B&GBlood]

View attachment 64894

Well, that was hillarious!