Luke Hodge

[Strapping Young Lad]

you've done nothing but rattle off stats

And told you to go watch his games from 2005 and 2006. The ball is in your court.

 

[BONG RIPS MKII]

And told you to go watch his games from 2005 and 2006. The ball is in your court.

oh ok well i'll just have a look in my vast collection of past hawthorn games and

i saw them when they were played, if you want me to watch them again then give me a link or something

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Go to the AFL site.

 

[Rioli magic]

oh ok well i'll just have a look in my vast collection of past hawthorn games and

i saw them when they were played, if you want me to watch them again then give me a link or something

Lay off the sheesha and you'd be able to remember them. They happened. Deal with it. Have a cone or something.

 

[Fevola99]

dragons rule

booze rules

BoozeDragon RULEZ

Dragons are gay, the only way you should think dragons are cool is if you're an obese female nerd or playing pokemon.

 

[Furn]

what is this thread about ?

Hodge or dragons ?


Very confusing

 

[Roby]

If you go by supercoach. Hodge has averaged more this year, Judd more last year, Hodge more the year before, Judd more the year before that and the year before that it was Hodge again.

It just depends, sometimes Judd's athletic ability makes him the best. Other times Hodge's football ability makes him the best.

Judd is considered the most explosive players in the AFL because of his athleticism. Judd leads contested possessions in the last decade. Hodge is considered the footballers footballer. In a way they're very different players but in round about way they can be just as effective.

No doubt Carlton improved immensely having Judd back. Hawthorn would not be the same team without Hodge and they would not have 2008 premiership.

Still I know who I would rather have but that could come to personal opinion as I prefer more skillful players who have great football nous. I was not a big fan of Franklin when we got him because of this preference.

If Hawthorn had of picked Judd instead of Hodge in the draft, I would not be annoyed one bit.

 

[eaglespremiers]

judd is a seriously crap kick, collingwood just let him get the ball coz they know he is just going to turn it back over

Might have something more to do with their inability to stop him getting the ball in that game. Sure at top speed his kicking is suspect but the way he wins the contested ball is phenomenal. Mind you Hodge is a gun in this area as well.

 

[Craigie]

yeah..he always plays so well against us...but he just such a brilliant player...your lucky to have him...along with his offsider Rioli

 

[absfab]

Other times Hodge's football ability makes him the best.

....................

Hodge is considered the footballers footballer.

According to whom?

Yeah I'd take Hodge in a heartbeat if I could have him. But with reference to Carlton's needs no way on earth I'd give up Judd for him.

The stuff Hawthorn people say about him is seriously strange.

If the guy was so much the "spiritual leader" then the team may not have fallen on it's arse when the blokes who REALLY held it together left.

 

[Roby]

According to whom?

Yeah I'd take Hodge in a heartbeat if I could have him. But with reference to Carlton's needs no way on earth I'd give up Judd for him.

The stuff Hawthorn people say about him is seriously strange.

If the guy was so much the "spiritual leader" then the team may not have fallen on it's arse when the blokes who REALLY held it together left.

According to Hird, Darcy and Sheahan to name a few and many others. It's been said dozens of times but then again I like to watch all matches and watch all media coverage on AFL.

Talking about strange, your last comment was perplexing at best.

 

[HyperAgressiveDonk]

According to Hird, Darcy and Sheahan to name a few and many others. It's been said dozens of times but then again I like to watch all matches and watch all media coverage on AFL.

Talking about strange, your last comment was perplexing at best.

Yeah kinda like Dwayne Russell saying he would take Hodge over Judd today.. Carlton supporters are having trouble coming to grips with a few things. The fact Hodge is clearly a better player than Judd and is now being recognised so, is a big sore point for Carlton supporters..

A bigger sore point I would imagine is the fact Luke Hodge is getting paid HALF of what Chris Judd is. Allowing us to sign a bloke like Burgoyne in the off season. Hodge is a good team man

 

[Mervyn Beasley]

He is more than a lock for the AA

Yep. Sure is.
Should be Captain of it.

 

[Rack Watts]

Goes alright.
Won't next weekend though

 

[hermolt]

Just to go in to bat for the bloke who said Rioli was more talented than Franklin - it's an arbitrary distinction, but Junior is the most naturally gifted/talented player I've seen at Hawthorn. Even moreso than Darren Jarman. He doesn't do it as regularly, though.

Franklin is more important to the team, obviously, but Rioli is extraordinary.

 

[hermolt]

Oh right, and I don't have enough superlatives for Luke Hodge.

 

[SpaceCow]

Good player, actually scratch that, VERY GOOD player.

Can play anywhere, I'm not sure about his start to the year (because I can't remember/didn't watch him play), but his last 5 or so weeks have been awesome!

 

[LANGFORDandSON]

hey buddy i'll accept that from the rest of the hawks fans but there is no way a guy named boozedragon is making fun of my username and getting away with it

Well, allow me to back him up

 

[hawksfan71]

The magical stuff that makes Hodgy different from most other players is his pure guts, integrity and fearlessness when going for the footy, he watches the footy and will go into packs not caring if he will be taken out or hammered, he is pure talent, pure skill, a super accurate kick and easily my favourite Hawk of recent years.
He will pick a player out with ease and deliver the footy straight to their chest, he is so reliable, so determined, so tough, I dont think theres anyone like him.
Although different players, I think of Dermie in those late eitghy's games and how tough he was as well, giving out as much as he could get, being kicked in the ribs and still getting up and kicking a goal 2 minutes later (89 GF). Dermie was a different kette of fish though, who else has ever had what he had, running thru Essendon huddle, I mean, that season he was on another level.
But these days, Hodge is keeping Hawthorns chances alive in 2010. Hes a Colac boy and bread tough out in the sticks, I wouldnt be happier if he won a brownow, I couldnt see him beating one of those flashy cats guys though, but u never know....

 

[wal]

I wouldnt be happier if he won a brownow, I couldnt see him beating one of those flashy cats guys though, but u never know....

This.

My favourite non Freo player by the length of the Nullabor.

 

[GoatEater88]

This.

My favourite non Freo player by the length of the Nullabor.

Be very few Pie fans who'd disagree with that sentiment. TOrches us every time - would have him in a heart beat!

 

[maryjames]

Rioli is better then Hodge??

 

[HolyRioli]

Interesting proposition. In the hypothetical his next three months is like his last one, would the AA selectors do it? Best player in the league, best leader....should be almost automatic, yet he isn't captain of his own club side?

Andrew McLeod was captain of the 2007 side, while not being captain of his club, so it's obviously not a necessity.

 

[blackhead&boil]

Hodge is in phenomenal form of late. He's probably the best performing player in the competition at present but when comparing him to Judd/Ablett you must remember that he's had nowhere near the consistency they've had. Ablett's been in the competition's best 3 for 3 and a half years now, whereas Judd has been consistently top 5 since 2004, bar 2007.

here's the problem opposition fans seem to have when assessing hodge. because of his versatility, he is used where the team needs him, which means that he gets shunted around the ground a lot. he goes from the middle, to down back, and sometimes even up forward. he has had success in all positions, but the effect on his public perception is that he does not excell in any one role.

given that he plays so many different positions, his stats are diluted. if you were to cut his games into segments that are divided into backman/mid/forward you would find that he would make 3 star players. as a forward he regularly kicks 3+ goals a game, but since he has played a lot of time in defense he has a low goals:games ratio. as a midfielder he picks up plenty of numbers, but over the course of his career, time spend out of the guts has lowered his average there, also.

another big issue is that of quality over quantity. you will never find hodge skirting around the edge of the pack picking up easy handballs to someone else who is 2m away, only to receive another one straight back (not that I'm alluding to anyone in particular, especially not elite midfielders such as ablett ). he plays hard, efficient football. once he gets the ball he gets it down the ground and as far away from himself as he can. that means he will get less total stats but have a much higher impact on the result of the game.

if you think hodge hasn't been an elite footballer until '10 then you clearly haven't been paying very much attention...

 

[loki04]

has passed Judd on the basis of what?

Judds best at West Coast is still better then anything Hodge has done, Hodge is having a great season no doubt and if he can finish it off and follow it up with another great season then he can join the league Judd and Ablett are in.

Disagree with that Judd was a bit over hyped at WC imo, people would get caught up in his burst from the pack and not see the kick miss the target or fall short or go over the forwards head.

Judd is a great player but is also a tad elevated due to his style.