Discussion Luke Hodge

[Signd Sealed Saint]

I know it's in the big thread but i think this deserves a thread of its own.

Luke Hodge as we all know has been fantastic for Hawthorn playing off his man and chopping off delivery to the forwards. Who do we stop him with?
I'll do a brief analysis of our options...

Goddard: He'll hurt Hodge going the other way for sure, but i dunno if he'll mitigate his influence on the game. I reckon Hodge's performance against Brisbane when he was left alone and chopped off every kick to Brown and Bradshaw is an embodiment of what he does to foward lines. While i think BJ will make Hodge accountable for him, i still don't think we can afford him to chop off our delivery to Roo and Kosi in particular the latter who will have a really tough night if Hodge does well

Birss/McQualter: A tagger type onto Hodge. Pretty self explanatory, hopefully take him out of the game. This doesn't allow him to just run off his man and get a stack of possies since he reads the play a lot better than his opponents (Cameron Cloke). A tagger would really give him a run for his possies and pressure him going off half back.

Schneider: Not a popular opinion on these forums but i think he's viable. he has some good pace and is very good at ground level, Hodge will be often sucked in to going third man up at a Kosi/Roo contest and if the ball can be brought to ground Schneider will make Hodge pay for it with his lovely finishing skills.

If he moves into the midfield then I'd like to see BJ go head to head with him, a couple of former #1 picks go at it. It'll be great to watch and a good experience for Goddard.

We can't afford him to run loose or play a Gwilt on him or something because he will cut you up and make life a living hell for Roo and Kosi. How he plays will be absolutely key to how the game pans out. Thoughts??

 

[the_riddler]

hopefully his foot that he had scanned for a break this morning gives him enough grief to not be able to cut off the leads

 

[Signd Sealed Saint]

Do u know the results from the scan?

 

[mollyfud]

Do u know the results from the scan?

Not good I hear. Was only bombing the goals from 70m at Hawks training this morning from all reports.

 

[Frankencow]

Goddard. Goddard can kick them from 60m. I'd look for Goddard across the CHF line, forcing Hodge to be accountable. Hodge will leave most blokes across the CHF line unless he knows they can goal from 55-60.

 

[the_riddler]

Do u know the results from the scan?

No break but was giving him enough grief to go and get it checked so surely must've been causing some pain

 

[Signd Sealed Saint]

Assuming Goddard plays a great game, is that equal or better than Riewoldt and Kosi having a relatively quite one due to Hodge?

 

[okeydoke7]

Goddard. if heplays 10 metres in front of Hodge and we play through him, he could kick them easy from 50-60. Hodge will be forced to tighten up or move to the midfield, and if he goes to the midfield keep Goddard on him. He's come on in leaps and bounds this year and I would love to put him to the test here, becase I believe he is the best man to rise to the challenge.

 

[mollyfud]

Goddard. if heplays 10 metres in front of Hodge and we play through him, he could kick them easy from 50-60. Hodge will be forced to tighten up or move to the midfield, and if he goes to the midfield keep Goddard on him. He's come on in leaps and bounds this year and I would love to put him to the test here, becase I believe he is the best man to rise to the challenge.

Only issue with this is that Hodge will be sitting in Riewoldts way meaning Goddard would also be in Riewoldts way.

 

[Frankencow]

Perhaps play Kosi and Milne deep, have Hodge cut them off and then we could *salivates* put Riewoldt on the wing! I like Goddard 10m in front of Hodge though.

 

[alo_saints_fan]

Put someone on him who had good endurance (blake) and give the fat Podge a good run around and he'll be stuffed by half time. Actually Blake is sounding better and better as I type, he can defend, run with and I cant see him going to Franklian or Roughead, or Williams for that matter. and if Podge goes in the middle Blake can ruck and kick 3 goals in a qtr.

rossy, if you are reading (which he wont be) but Blake on Podgey.

 

[Signd Sealed Saint]

Mate, Hodge has at least 100 times the class of Blake. No disrespect to Blake but they're a different worlds in terms of playing ability.

 

[Armitage2Riewoldt]

But you're considering playing McQ on him?

Logic fail.

 

[alo_saints_fan]

Mate, Hodge has at least 100 times the class of Blake. No disrespect to Blake but they're a different worlds in terms of playing ability.

In terms of playing abilty, yes Hodge is far better, but you dont need to be as good as someone to stop them having an influence. If that was the case premier midfeilders would rack up 50 touches a week.

Blake has done very good jobs on Goodes and Cloke, and others i cant think of at present, and Hodge most definatly isn't out of the realms of his capability.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

I should not fratanise so close to the match,b ut hodge went for a scan he booked months ago, to check his hamstring, not his foot.

his hammy that he missed a month with.


also, Luke ball will go with hodge, mark my words.

 

[Saints08]

In terms of playing abilty, yes Hodge is far better, but you dont need to be as good as someone to stop them having an influence. If that was the case premier midfeilders would rack up 50 touches a week.

Blake has done very good jobs on Goodes and Cloke, and others i cant think of at present, and Hodge most definatly isn't out of the realms of his capability.

Tagged Cousins last year.

Pro's of Blake on Hodge :
- Will give absolutely everything, combine this with his superior fitness, could tire Hodge out enough so that when the Hawks have the ball, he is spent.
- Has a good size advantage, although he's not known for his marking ability
- Will be able to put pressure on Hodge when the Hawks are rebounding, as he is fitter than Hodge.

Cons:
- Hodge is quicker
- He has great football-smarts and a knack for finding the ball
- Also knows when to leave his opponent and not to.

Worth a try IMO. It is also worth noting that Hodge had a shocker last time we played them. Yes, Hawks fans, I know he got a few possessions but he was shanking them for most of the night, which was out-of-character for him, as I rate him as probably the best kick in the league.

 

[alo_saints_fan]

Tagged Cousins last year.

Pro's of Blake on Hodge :
- Will give absolutely everything, combine this with his superior fitness, could tire Hodge out enough so that when the Hawks have the ball, he is spent.
- Has a good size advantage, although he's not known for his marking ability
- Will be able to put pressure on Hodge when the Hawks are rebounding, as he is fitter than Hodge.

Cons:
- Hodge is quicker
- He has great football-smarts and a knack for finding the ball
- Also knows when to leave his opponent and not to.

Worth a try IMO. It is also worth noting that Hodge had a shocker last time we played them. Yes, Hawks fans, I know he got a few possessions but he was shanking them for most of the night, which was out-of-character for him, as I rate him as probably the best kick in the league.

Ver good analysis Saints08.

Yes i certainly agree Hodge is probably quicker, so hopefully the only time he is dangerous to us in in that 2-3 seconds where he can out sprint Blake in.

Should be a top game in my opinion

 

[Signd Sealed Saint]

A2R, McQualter is a specialist tagger while Blake is not. To be honest i don't think any of the options are particularly fantastic, let's just hope whoever gets it does a good job.

 

[Speck]

If Hodge blocks the hole, then we have to play a man on him. Make him accountable for his man as well as cutting off Roo.

 

[Signd Sealed Saint]

If we do play BJ on him we gotta really look for Goddard and exploit Hodge peeling off and his inaccountability. He reads the play well and times his runs but need to give BJ extra attention.

 

[JohnD]

Tagged Cousins last year.

Pro's of Blake on Hodge :
- Will give absolutely everything, combine this with his superior fitness, could tire Hodge out enough so that when the Hawks have the ball, he is spent.
- Has a good size advantage, although he's not known for his marking ability
- Will be able to put pressure on Hodge when the Hawks are rebounding, as he is fitter than Hodge.

Cons:
- Hodge is quicker
- He has great football-smarts and a knack for finding the ball
- Also knows when to leave his opponent and not to.
- Hodge is one of the toughest bodies in the comp, and will probably make Blake cry

I don't think Blake's your man for Hodge to be honest.

 

[Brownie_30]

If Hodge blocks the hole, then we have to play a man on him. Make him accountable for his man as well as cutting off Roo.

You can do this so long as you guy don't try and play a spare man in defence. Hodge will stand 45 m from goal all night and run the show for Hawthorn, where his opponent is will not concern him - whoever plays on Hodge, from St Kilda's point of view, must be capable of hurting Hawthorn and laying on or kicking goals - Hawthorn will not care if Hodge's opponent gets 50 touches on the wing and kicks it straight to him. From a Hawks perspective Fisher must be also held accountable at the other end as well.

Not sure what the weather is like down there but I would not be suprised to see hodge line up on Milne or Kosi (Kosi only if its wet), as they are your two least accountable forwards - from my St Kilda viewing which is admittedly limited and feel free to correct me. If and its a big if, Hodge was on Kosi or Milne would you really want to man him and essentially create one possibly two (Guerra and Birchall most likely) free men with all night to spot up targets?

Whatever happens I'm excited should be an interesting tactical battle.