RUMOUR Hodges Final Season - 2015

[Big Pete]

Speculation has arisen over the Broncos captain and his future at the club. After announcing that he would retire from representative football to concentrate on the Broncos in 2016, rumours have emerged that 2015 will be his final year in the NRL.

Coincidently as soon as those rumours emerged, it seemed as if the strain surrounding the contract negotiations of Thaiday, Glenn, Nikorima and Kahu weakened to the extent that it seems like all four will remain at the club.

With that in mind, should Hodges bow out this year?
Who will replace him in the backs?
Who will replace him as captain?

 

[Morkel]

Re: Should Hodges Retire?

IIRC he's only on about $280k these days. And you have to replace him in the 25. So on reality, he'd save us $200k. Hardly a pot of gold but hey, an extra $50k each was all those 4 needed to re-sign.

My answers are Kahu and Hunt.

 

[Big Pete]

Re: Should Hodges Retire?

I'm interested, where did you get that figure from Morks?

 

[Morkel]

Re: Should Hodges Retire?

Have in my head $800k over 3 years. Contract before that was $1 mill for 3 years. Before that $400k pa.

 

[Big Pete]

Re: Should Hodges Retire?

I never saw a figure quoted, I would have assumed it was at least 300K a season.

Regardless, I take your point. It isn't like he's costing us the bank by keeping him on like Barba, Kennedy or Garbutt would have but it's still a fair amount of money.

 

[Ari Gold]

Re: Should Hodges Retire?

I thought the consensus was that he should have retired by last year! :laugh:

I think the call is Hodges to make. Though I'd like to see him get one final pay day in the UK because he deserves it.

As for replacements, Kahu is obvious. As captain? I personally think it should be Josh McGuire, but they'll probably give it to McCullough.

 

[animal eater]

Re: Should Hodges Retire?

That's a tough one because he shows the great majority of the time that he is on field to still be the best center even at this stage in his career. Kahu looks to be the one to replace him. That said, Kahu really needs to play in his position because he surely at this stage doesn't seem to know where to be defensively on the other side.

No doubt in my mind that Andrew McCoullough will be the next Brisbane Broncos captain.

 

[Super Freak]

Re: Should Hodges Retire?

Last year I mentioned he should retire.

That's mainly because I thought he was hurting the team more than he was helping it.

But this year, he isn't trying to run things anymore and he is showing more faith in the rest of the team. I think it's because we have a better spine this year. He is happy to stay out on that right side and just focus on how he plays out there while occasionally coming in field in attack and I thought his defense has been a bit better.

He is also doing better at captain than what I thought he would. I base that on what I see at the game and what I see when Broncos have scored points or conceded points and the way he is communicating with players during play.

With the money he is on, which I believe isn't much, I'm fine with him being in the side for another year.

As for who replaces him at centre and as captain?

Kahu & McCullough.

 

[Unbreakable]

Re: Should Hodges Retire?

Dunno anymore, it honestly depends on whether Copley starts playing some good footy, if he finishes the season strong and has no injuries then I'll probably land in the retirement category.

As for captaincy.. It'd be a three horse race out of Boyd, Hunt or McCullough.

 

[Alec]

Re: Should Hodges Retire?

Last year I mentioned he should retire.

That's mainly because I thought he was hurting the team more than he was helping it.

But this year, he isn't trying to run things anymore and he is showing more faith in the rest of the team. I think it's because we have a better spine this year. He is happy to stay out on that right side and just focus on how he plays out there while occasionally coming in field in attack and I thought his defense has been a bit better.

He is also doing better at captain than what I thought he would. I base that on what I see at the game and what I see when Broncos have scored points or conceded points and the way he is communicating with players during play.

With the money he is on, which I believe isn't much, I'm fine with him being in the side for another year.

As for who replaces him at centre and as captain?

Kahu & McCullough.

At times, him roving was hurting us, but most of the time it was some of our best attack, after Hunt's solo efforts. I still remember him destroying the Cows before Tariq Sims hit him.

The times he was hurting us, I'll put that down to pressure and a 1/10 coach being in charge.

 

[Foordy]

Re: Should Hodges Retire?

I think he should stay for 1 final season with us in 2015. But if he decides to retire or take a final pay day on England, then he has earnt that right and i would be fully supportive of the decision.

As for who should replace him, I have been saying all along that Kahu and Copley should be our long term center pairing. I still maintain that it should have neen Reex dropped instead of Copley. (neither had played great footy to that point ... But Copleys bad form had lasted for a far shorter time than Reeds ... But I'm straying)

As for Captain, i think it should be Hunt. McCullough would probably make a good captain, but I'm still npt sold on his position in the team. He has been too inconsistent for too long for my liking. Hopefully Bennett changes that. So the other good (and long term) choice is Hunt.

 

[vertigo]

Re: Should Hodges Retire?

Hodges wants another premiership, if not this year then I expect him to go around again minus playing for QLD.

 

[Kimlo]

Re: Should Hodges Retire?

Whatever Hodges wants to do I'm okay with. I'd love him to play one more year though.

 

[I bleed Maroon]

Re: Should Hodges Retire?

Hodges was incredible against the Knights, so he clearly isn't showing any signs of being past it. Yes he is susceptible to injury, but at the same time when he is on the field, he always makes his presence felt.

My opinion is that he should definitely be the one to make the call, and Bennett will allow him that.

 

[OXY-351]

Re: Should Hodges Retire?

My opinion is that he should definitely be the one to make the call, and Bennett will allow him that.

Bennett will allow him if he's playing well enough. I think Bennett has shown in the past he's no afraid to make hard decisions if he feels it's in the best interest of the team.

FWIW, I think he's shown no signs why he shouldn't be able to make the call himself though. He's playing well enough at this stage to go around another yera.

 

[Renegade]

Re: Should Hodges Retire?

Hmm it's a tough one - as great as Hodges has been, we haven't missed when he's been unavailable and considering we have a logjam of youngsters coming through, we are going to have to start deciding what we want more

To give spots to the up and comers who can make a difference for the next 10 years?

Or give a club stalwart one more run?

We can't have both.

I guess it makes it easy if we win the premiership this year, Hodges leaves on a high and everyone's happy.

 

[john1420]

Re: Should Hodges Retire?

I'd like to see him go on for 1 more year (unless we win the premiership this year) but not if it cost us the signing of a future star

 

[subsbligh]

Re: Should Hodges Retire?

If we won a premiership this year, he'd find it hard to have a reason to continue.

Maybe he should call it regardless.