Justin Hodges in action

[GCBRONCO]

 

[Kooly87]

People talk about underrated players a lot, and frequently they'll use examples of guys who were perhaps not overly talented but made up for it by sheer effort and will.

I think Justin Hodges is actually better example of what it really means to be underrated. He had talent in spades and he was also a fierce competitor to go with it. Basically had a mortgage on his position at Rep level for over a decade, yet he'd rarely turn up in any conversations about the great Centres of the game, and in NSW he's almost never mentioned, despite the fact that he's had so much success.

I don't know if it's because he was just so easy to dislike as an opposition fan, or that his true danger as an opposition player was that he could just creep up on you from nowhere and before you know it he's dominated you all game, or maybe a combination of all of that, but honestly, he was ridiculously good player who I don't think gets enough mainstream recognition for just how good he really was.

 

[I bleed Maroon]

Snip

I reckon it has a lot to do with his reputation. NSW hate him with a burning passion, in fact I'd say Hodgo would be in the discussion for most hated QLD player in the South, ever since that punch up with Eric Grothe Jr, the solid gold sledging of Buderus and humiliating the whole state by forcing Ben Creagh to do his infamous fairy backpeddle.

He's rubbed NSW nose in it too many times and as we all know, NSW is the centre of the Rugby League universe (lol), so it's natural that they wouldn't want to let him have the legacy he deserves.

 

[GCBRONCO]

 

[Allo]

I reckon it has a lot to do with his reputation. NSW hate him with a burning passion, in fact I'd say Hodgo would be in the discussion for most hated QLD player in the South, ever since that punch up with Eric Grothe Jr, the solid gold sledging of Buderus and humiliating the whole state by forcing Ben Creagh to do his infamous fairy backpeddle.

He's rubbed NSW nose in it too many times and as we all know, NSW is the centre of the Rugby League universe (lol), so it's natural that they wouldn't want to let him have the legacy he deserves.

The Brett Morris thing too

 

[I bleed Maroon]

 

[Kimlo]

Can anyone tell me what game that try he scored in the 55th second of that video is?

One of my favourite Hodges moments.

 

[Kimlo]

Easily one of my favourite ever players, and I pretty firmly believe if his body wasn't so fragile he'd have been the best fullback to ever play the game if he could have handled the workload.

 

[Mister Wright]

Could have also been a whole lot more if injuries hadn’t have cruelties his prime.

 

[Big Pete]

Can anyone tell me what game that try he scored in the 55th second of that video is?

One of my favourite Hodges moments.

vs. Cowboys @ North Queensland Round 20 2013

Same game Oatesy played his first game on the wing.

 

[winslow_wong]

Could have also been a whole lot more if injuries hadn’t have cruelties his prime.

Wasn’t that largely due to the fact that he didn’t take recovery sessions serious enough?

 

[Fernando]

Immense player, my favorite Bronco. I can’t really ever remember his opposite getting the better of him, at least not a clear cut decision. If only he could’ve grounded that Superman try in Origin..

The Brett Morris thing too

He took Farh out of Origin with a brutal tackle that was completely 100% legal that they took offense to as well.

 

[animal eater]

What I loved about Hodgo was that unbelievable will to NOT lose. I would take a team full of Hodges in a heartbeat.

 

[Sproj]

What I loved about Hodgo was that unbelievable will to NOT lose. I would take a team full of Hodges in a heartbeat.

You’d need a squad though cos half of them would be out injured at any given time.

 

[Kooly87]

What I loved about Hodgo was that unbelievable will to NOT lose. I would take a team full of Hodges in a heartbeat.

As long as you could overcome the 5-7 rounds every year that they all wouldn't be fit for, you might be on to something.

 

[Kimlo]

Legend

vs. Cowboys @ North Queensland Round 20 2013

Same game Oatesy played his first game on the wing.

 

[Kooly87]

Interesting that several others agree that he doesn't get the recognition he deserves amongst the wider NRL community.

Interesting also that people agree it's personality driven, and whilst I do agree that definitely plays a role for some, maybe even most, I think there is more to it than that and it comes back to his overall playing style looking at times so effortless and almost 'behind the scenes' that it can often go unnoticed and I think that had a big effect on people underrating him too.

 

[theshed]

Always loved Hodgo but his last few years with us during the the hook era made him my all time favourite player. I’ve never seen one player get the shits with his own team so severely that he played about 5 positions simultaneously and on many occasions dragged our mediocre team kicking and screaming to victory.

The guy would push Macca out of the way to create something from dummy half, go into fullback to set up the opposite winger, refuse to give the ball to the flop Maranta. He was electric in his last few seasons.