Player Watch 15. Luke Hodge

[noosa hawk mad]

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/age-footballer-of-the-year-round-8-votes-20100516-v6hz.html

RICHMOND v HAWTHORN
Martin Blake
Luke Hodge (Hawthorn) 8
Daniel Jackson (Richmond) 8
Cyril Rioli (Hawthorn) 7
Jack Riewoldt (Richmond) 7
Chris Newman (Richmond) 7

THE TOTALS
Luke Hodge (Hawthorn) 44
Gary Ablett (Geelong) 38
Kane Cornes (Port Adelaide) 37
Aaron Sandilands (Fremantle) 37
Brendon Goddard (St Kilda) 35
Michael Barlow (Fremantle) 31
Chris Judd (Carlton) 31

 

[market]

May 16 Hawks V Richmond MCG

A WIN - A WIN - A WIN

Luke again led the way for the Hawks along with Rioli as the 2 standouts for the Hawks team. Picked up his customary 25+ possessions and showed the leadership the team now expects of him

Luke's stats were
17 Kicks, 10 handpasses, 5 marks, 5 tackles. He received 4 freekicks and had 2 awarded against him.

 

[market]

May 23 Hawks V Carlton Etihad Stadium

Magnificent effort from the entire Hawks team, with Luke again leading the way in a stand-out performance. He is absolutely on fire at the moment and together with Franklin lit the place up.

A great win by the Hawks and another awesome effort by Luke.

Luke's stats were
20 Kicks, 9 handpasses, 7 marks, 7 tackles. He received 2 freekicks and had 2 awarded against him. He kicked a goal.

 

[bigbuddyboy]

Had $50 on hodge to take home the brownlow at the start of the year (51:1).

If we keep winning (big if), then I reckon he'll be easily top 3 at the TAB come the big night.

Go you good thing Hodge, bring papa some money

 

[hardway]

Had $50 on hodge to take home the brownlow at the start of the year (51:1).

If we keep winning (big if), then I reckon he'll be easily top 3 at the TAB come the big night.

Go you good thing Hodge, bring papa some money

Have the same bet.. Fingerscrossed

 

[noosa hawk mad]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/s...brothers-in-arms/story-e6frf9if-1225870306199


Sam Mitchell and Luke Hodge are brothers in arms

Luke Hodge, Alastair Clarkson and Sam Mitchell enjoy the spoils of the 2008 AFL premiership. Source: Herald Sun



SAM Mitchell and Luke Hodge would have shared the glory as Hawthorn premiership co-captains in 2008 had president Jeff Kennett not intervened.



Kennett yesterday revealed he single-handedly blocked the idea of the pair sharing the role.
The players and coaches supported a Mitchell-Hodge partnership after Richie Vandenberg retired at the end of 2007, but Kennett was the major hurdle when it went to the board to be signed off.
"I said while I am president of Hawthorn there will not be joint captains," Kennett said yesterday.
"It's always been my view you can only have one captain of the ship.

 

[noosa hawk mad]

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-new...0523-w3xr.html



Age Footballer of the Year: Round 9 votes

May 24, 2010
Round nine votes in the Age Footballer of the Year award.

CARLTON v HAWTHORN
Jake Niall
Lance Franklin (Hawthorn) 8
Luke Hodge (Hawthorn) 8
Michael Osborne (Hawthorn) 7
Sam Mitchell (Hawthorn) 7
Kade Simpson (Carlton) 6


THE TOTALS
Luke Hodge (Hawthorn) 52
Brendon Goddard (St Kilda) 42
Gary Ablett (Geelong) 38
Lenny Hayes (St Kilda) 37
Kane Cornes (Port Adelaide) 37
Aaron Sandilands (Fremantle) 37.

 

[noosa hawk mad]

Will Hodge poll enough votes in our losing games?? IMO he will have over 12 Brownlow Votes ATM go you good thing.

 

[market]

May 30 Hawks V Sydney MCG

A serviceable game in the end by Luke, who was well held in the first half, but came back in the second to help the Hawks get over the line.
Was a tough game to watch as the Hawks, who should have had the game sewn up earlier were in danger of having it pinched from them.

Luke was one of the usual suspects, that when the going got tough and intense, he was working tirelessly.

Luke's stats were
11 Kicks, 3 handpasses, 2 marks, 8 tackles. He received 1 freekick and had 0 awarded against him. He kicked a goal.

 

[noosa hawk mad]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/pick-1-goddard-or-hodge/story-e6frf9ox-1225874688995

Pick 1: Goddard or Hodge?




BOTH taken with Pick 1in National Drafts and both capable of playing most positions on the ground. So who would you take, St Kilda's Brendon "BJ" Goddard or Hawthorn's Luke Hodge?

They are the players every team craves, men capable of playing attack, defence or midfield with equal efficiency.
Hodge would have been streets ahead three years ago but Goddard has made rapid inroads after missing 2007 due to a knee reconstruction.
Brendon Goddard
Age, height, weight: 25, 189cm, 94kg. Career stats (per game): 11.9 kicks, 7.7 handballs, 6.2 marks, 0.5 goals.
Games, goals: 147, 70
Personal honours: 2nd B&F in 2009, All-Australian 2009, International Rules 2006, pre-season premiership in 2004, Rising Star nominee 2003.
Draft history: Number 1 selection in 2002

Strengths: Along with Matthew Pavlich and Adam Goodes, one of the most versatile players in the game. Hard enough when he needs to be, an elite kick, good engine, fine overhead

Weaknesses: Some doubted his ability when the pressure went on but Goddard has been in St Kilda's best in its past four finals.

Luke Hodge
Age, height, weight: 25, 185cm, 90kg. Career stats (per game): 13.1 kicks, 8.4 handballs, 4.6 marks, 0.7 goals.
Games, goals: 161, 106
Personal honours: B&F in 2005, 2nd in 2006, 3rd in 2007-2008, All-Australian 2005, 2008, 2008 Premiership side, 2008 Norm Smith medal, International Rules 2005, Rising Star nominee 2002
Draft history: Number 1 in 2001
Strengths: A real capacity to change a game. Natural leader, good over head, precise left-foot kick, versatile and unwilling to lose a contest.
Weaknesses: A perfectionist who can sometimes take on too much. Not super quick but adequate.
VERDICT: Has to be Hodge because he has done more but was drafted a season earlier. Goddard took some time to justify his draft rating but has he made some ground in the past two and a half seasons? Will be interesting to re-visit in 12 months.

Great job Market thanks champ.......

 

[market]

Great stuff Noose!

Seriously, take the hawks glasses off if you can....

who would you pick based on their careers, what they have done for their club and what you expect them to do from here on....

Hodge or Goddard?

Hodge for me, by a million miles....

(I said you take the glasses off, not me!)

 

[market]

Hodge: Finals way off

http://sportal.com.au/afl-news-display/hodge-finals-way-off-92678

Hawthorn star Luke Hodge has echoed coach Alastair Clarkson's comments that the Hawks are still a long way from being realistic finals contenders.

....

Hodge, who was among the Hawks' best players with 26 disposals and 10 marks, said there was plenty to work on in the second half of the season.
"We're playing a bit better football (now) but still … at the top of our game we're still a fair way off," he said at Waverley Park on Monday.

"It was great to get another close win but we are still not playing the way that we want to play. To get up by 30 points and let them come back and they eventually hit the lead, that was disappointing but we are slowly making ground. To win our fourth in a row shows better signs."

"We've got two big games before the bye and hopefully if we can keep building we can finish the first half of the season off well."

No arguing over this way on the call!

 

[market]

Hodge jumps to big AFLCA award lead

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/95887/default.aspx


LUKE Hodge’s kicking for goal may have been slightly wide of the mark at the weekend, but his best afield performance was good enough to catapult him into the lead in the AFLCA Champion Player of the Year award.

Hodge received a perfect 10 from coaches Alastair Clarkson and Port Adelaide’s Mark Williams.

He has 53 votes and enjoys a six-vote lead from his nearest challenger, Fremantle skipper Matthew Pavlich, who is on 47.

Yeah, he can play a bit....and he's showing us how at the moment!

 

[market]

June 6 Hawks V Port Adelaide MCG

Back to where we all now expect him to be. Luke put in another BOG performance and ensured the Hawks won the game in the last few minutes when it was there to be won.

Great game by Luke!

Luke's stats were
18 Kicks, 8 handpasses, 10 marks, 5 tackles, 2 hitouts. He received 1 freekick and had 1 awarded against him. He kicked a goal and 5 points.

 

[market]

June 12 Hawks V Adelaide Aurora

The rich vein of form continues for the main man! Another BOG performance and major factor in ensuring the Hawks got the win on the board.
Was particularly strong again when it counted in the last quarter - out of the centre, sensational effort!

Luke's stats were
20 Kicks, 12 handpasses, 5 marks, 5 tackles, 1 hitout. He received 2 freekick and had 0 awarded against him. He kicked 3 goals and 0 points.

 

[Hodgepodge]

Happy Birthday Hodgey.

 

[market]

Red hot Hodge still dominating coaches' votes
http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/96347/default.aspx

....

Hawthorn's Luke Hodge still maintains a commanding presence at the top of the leader board. Hodge's 32-possession, three-goal effort against Adelaide attracted nine votes to put him 14 votes ahead of Collingwood onballer Dane Swan.

....

Leader board
62 Luke Hodge (Haw)
48 Dane Swan (Coll)
47 Matthew Pavlich (Fre)
46 Aaron Sandilands (Fre)
44 Paul Chapman (Geel)
41 David Mundy (Fre)
38 Gary Ablett (Geel)
38 Brendon Goddard (StK)
37 Lenny Hayes (StK)

 

[market]

JAMES HIRD's MMVPs

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/mmvp

Nominees: Gary Ablett, Chris Judd, Matthew Pavlich, Aaron Sandilands, Paul Chapman, Luke Hodge, Brendon Goddard

....
but my player of 2010 to date is the No.15 from the Hawks. Luke Hodge's ability to read the ball, hit a pack at pace and his skills by foot and hand are amazing. The Hawks have had a slow start, without him it may have been a whole lot worse.

 

[market]

June 18 Hawks V Essendon MCG

It had to happen! Luke finally had a quiet game (well by his standards - being BOG nearly every week, has finally caught up with him!)

Was tagged out of the game well by Welsh and may have have been carrying an injury...his best work in the last quarter, when the game was there again to be won.

Enjoy the break Hodgey and come out and turn it on for next 9 games!

Luke's stats were
7 Kicks, 5 handpasses, 3 marks, 5 tackles. He received 1 freekick and had 0 awarded against him.

 

[market]

July 2 Hawks V Bulldogs MCG

Ok - normal transmission has been resumed! Luke produced another steller performance in this game and together with Mitchell led the team to our best win of the season... A huge win by the Hawks and Luke playing a massive game....great result.

Luke's stats were
20 Kicks, 8 handpasses, 6 marks, 6 tackles. He received 1 freekick and had 4 awarded against him. He kicked 2 goals.

 

[market]

Hodge increases lead in AFLCA award

http://www.afl.com.au/tabid/208/default.aspx?newsid=97558

HAWTHORN star Luke Hodge has extended his lead in the AFLCA Player of the year award to 10 votes.

Hodge received a perfect 10 for his performance in the Hawks’ win over the Western Bulldogs on Friday night after failing to poll in his most recent game against the Bombers.

......

Luke Hodge was best on ground in Friday's thriller between Hawthorn and the Western Bulldogs
=====================================

The Champ does it again!

 

[whiteTiga2k]

Such an inspiration. I swear... i am more in awe of him every week. He is KING!

 

[market]

Hodge a natural leader
By Leigh Matthews

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/97618/default.aspx

LEADERSHIP is not an easily measured quality. And when it comes to the captaincy of a football team, for outsiders, it is only the visible on-field actions from which we can make our judgments.

During my 20 years of coaching I had the real pleasure of working for the majority of the time with two great premiership captains - Tony Shaw at Collingwood and Michael Voss at the Brisbane Lions.

From close quarters I’ve seen the characteristics of these two truly great leaders.....

When I watch Hawthorn’s Luke Hodge play he reminds me of these two. And for me there can be no greater praise for a leader.

.....

So, while this is not about who should be captain, it is about Hodge. And particularly the influence he has on the contest and those around him, and the leadership performance that so often grabs my attention and admiration.

Like leadership, willpower and determination cannot be measured. But the two goals he kicked against the Western Bulldogs last Friday night were great examples of those emotional forces played out in actions.

Lethal re-inforcing a couple of points for broader world, that Hawkers already take for granted.....

 

[market]

July 10 Hawks V Cats MCG

A massive battle with the clamp-down king - Ling of Geelong, Luke played a great game and had an influence on the game, that contributed to probably the best game of the season - Another classic between the Hawks and the Cats.

Luke's stats were
10 Kicks, 10 handpasses, 4 marks, 6 tackles. He received 1 freekick and had 2 awarded against him. He kicked 1 goal.

 

[noosa hawk mad]

We can challenge anyone: Hodge
http://www.hawthornfc.com.au/news/ne...3/default.aspxBy Jason Phelan 6:13 PM Wed 14 July, 2010

Luke Hodge says the Hawks have a lot of improvement left in them


HAWTHORN vice-captain Luke Hodge believes the Hawks' season will continue to gather momentum as the race to September heats up in the coming weeks.

After managing just one win in the first seven rounds, the side's phoenix-like rise from the ashes has been one of the story lines of the season.

While Hodge says there is still much work to be done, he sounds an ominous warning to opposition teams.

"I think we have a side that if we play the football that we know we're capable of, we can challenge any side in the AFL," he says.