Hodge to the guts

[Glebehawk]

I know he's one of the best at cutting off opposition attacks down back, and we are struggling with defenders right now, but I think we can get more from Hodgy at the centre bounce.

Sure send him down back now and again through rotation, but would love to see him become one of the premiere midfielders in the comp once again.

 

[Mervyn Beasley]

Be good to see but I reckon its a catch 22 at moment.
Defence weak so need him. Midfield getting back to normal and shouldnt need him.
My thoughts on Hodge being down back is that it is a bit of a luxury.

 

[macmate]

we are getting killed a little in the midfield too, i say put him in there rotating him in the backline. if it doesn't get past him in the middle, then no need to worry about the defense

the way i see it is if he plays like a sweeping midfielder, ie a kick behind the play if he fails, at least its not a shot on goal, the defenders still have a chance to prevent a goal

 

[EIGHTYEIGHTEIGHTYNINE]

Would be even better if we could afford to play him on half forward rotating through the middle. Almost every touch he had then would directly result in a goal, (not that he is that far off that now!)

 

[fugu]

I love Hodge as much as anyone but he's not that fit at the moment and has historically had trouble breaking tags. We need a lift across the board. No one player's gunna save us.

 

[byronben]

I agree Glebe. Hodge & Sewell in the middle is the reason we won so many games last season. Remember those break away goals by Hodge & Sewell from many a centre bounce last season?

I think we forgot that he was played down back exclusively only in the last games of the year which was a result of having a near fully fit side with surplus of quality midfielders.

Playing Hodge down back was the final coaching 'masterstroke' that threw the opposition and caught all off guard. I fully expected Hodge to begin the season in the middle again this year.

Clarkson has "resorted" to playing Hodge in the middle for periods in games this season, but mostly when a win has already become out of reach. Hodge is a gun midfielder & should be played in the middle more often than not.

Revisit his last quarter and a half in the elimination against Adelaide 2007 to see why he should be "on the ball". The reason he gets it so much down back is because he isn't cutting it off or creating play further afield now.

Last year our midfield looked like it went on forever - Mitchell, Hodge, Sewell, Crawford, Lewis, Bateman, Ellis.

Now it reads more like - Mitchell, Sewell, Lewis, Bateman, Tuck, Morton, Kennedy??

we need Hodge in there too.

 

[cradle of filth]

I disagree. Our defence is currently missing Croad, Birchall, Ladson, Gilham and Guerra.

Even if Gilham makes a return, we are still really under pressure in defense.

There was no drive from the defensive 50 last saturday, Hodge and Whitecross were horribly out numbered.

Taking Hodge out of there would be like surrendering at this point.

 

[Anthemy]

There was no drive from the defensive 50 last saturday, Hodge and Whitecross were horribly out numbered. quote]

My thoughts too.
Don't know what the solution is.

Rough down back, could help him find form?
Lose his goalkicking though.
Which leaves MORE pressure on the mids, incl willo, to kick goals, which they're not really atm.

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

I love Hodge as much as anyone but he's not that fit at the moment and has historically had trouble breaking tags. We need a lift across the board. No one player's gunna save us.

Spot on.

Hodge would be a very average midfielder at the moment.

 

[Glebehawk]

it's no doubt a tough call, but I think Hodge tends to play better down back when we do have our key defenders there. He's got far too much work to do at the moment. He's cut off and rebound aren't as damaging. Why not send brown back there, he can back into the packs as good as any. Get some run/fitness into Hodge and see how much damage he can do from the square.

 

[Cindy2003]

Clarko's put him in the middle in a couple of games this year with no impact. Leave him at half back

 

[mr e]

Rough down back, could help him find form?

Roughie looked in scintillating form in the first 3 weeks and in my book it looked as if he were just totally ignored by our midfielders last week.
Leave him forward, he'll be back to his best in no time

 

[noosa hawk mad]

When we get some players back down back YES goo can take Hodges Quarter back role letting Hodge to play in the middle!

 

[play2win]

leaving hodge down back may start becoming to transparent to the point that he is being targetted by the opposition like against port, particularly when the defense is undermanned. although the tactic produced the ultimate success, i hope it doesn't become stale.

i luv having hodge in the middle. the 1st game last year against collingwood was awesome (before he did his hammy).

 

[Hodgepodge]

Hodge was at half-forward for a bit in the last quarter against P.A., kicked a goal and had a score assist from memory. HF/midfield is the way to go with Hodgey. Throw him in defence towards the business end of the season.

 

[byronben]

agree HP. He'll probably start in the middle this week.

 

[hawkstars]

Hodge was at half-forward for a bit in the last quarter against P.A., kicked a goal and had a score assist from memory. HF/midfield is the way to go with Hodgey. Throw him in defence towards the business end of the season.

Bingo!

 

[Roger Rogerson]

Agree hodgepodge would love to see Hodgey ultimately alternating between midfield and forward - like Voss used to. If we ever manage to get enough quality defenders on our list then this could happen. He is so strong overhead he would be a major asset up forward.

This comment isn't based upon him being apparently tagged out of the game last week against Port but we are too predictable with him up back so far this year. The tough part is we are way way short of defenders so it hasnt left much choice. We need to rebuild our backline to decrease the reliance on Hodge as the 3rd man up. The best test for the development of our defenders is without him there.

 

[carntheroos4eva]

Goo's not quick enough to take the quarter back role. He's injury prone at the moment with groin and hamstring injuries. (he can play with the aching groin but can't with hammy injuires.)

Sorry guys but I reckon that Murphy and Tuck should be playing in the midfield.