A tribute from a fan to our retiring premiership star...
On hearing of Luke Hodge’s impending retirement, my thoughts turned to ‘Mr Football', arguably Australian Rules' greatest icon, E.J.Whitten. Ted is a revered figure who did anything and everything for whichever guernsey he donned, whether it was for his beloved Footscray or when he donned the Big V to represent Victoria.
His teammates would never avoid a contest or fail to put their head over the ball around Whitten, lest they risk being 'taken out' by him at the next available chance, an act he justified under the auspices of ‘footballing treason’.
Stories of Ted Whitten remain the stuff of folklore as his footballing abilities were complete and unrivalled. In rabid zealotry towards victory, his efforts were both selfless and relentless and he was uncompromising in his demands of his teammates. His booming voice accompanied by that piercing glare would give onlookers chicken skin while causing all in his presence to walk taller, inspired to push themselves well past breaking point.
I have no doubt that in time, Hodge, so very much in Whitten's likeness, will also be inducted as a Legend in the AFL Hall of Fame and lauded accordingly.
During the past half century, the Hawthorn Football Club has had periods where it has lost its way but it has been fortunate to have some amazing leaders; icons of the Club who have steered it to being the most successful of the modern era.
One such icon of Hawthorn is 'The Godfather’, John Kennedy Senior who took the Club from being the laughing stock of the VFL in the late 1950s to one that was feared and ultimately envied. ‘Kennedy’s Commandos’ were inspired by his famous words at half time of the 1975 Grand Final, "Do something, Do! Don’t think, don’t hope, do!"
Despite the loss that followed that day, this iconic speech has become the catch-cry of the Hawthorn Football Club.
Similarly, Luke Hodge has established himself as a pivotal and key person in the club's success. He came to Hawthorn in 2001 as the number one draft pick. At this time in the early '00s there was a very distinct straying away from the traditions that defied the 'Hawthorn way'.
Our playing list at the time seemed more intent on looking their best during a game by preparing with a trendy Chapel Street hairdo or spending time on such pursuits as the CLEO Bachelor of the Year award rather than going the extra yards for the club.
This period was defined by a jibe from our most hated rivals, Essendon: "Essendon players wear liniment, while Hawthorn players wear tanning lotion".
Trent Croad became the poster child of this period, and was very publicly shipped off to Fremantle in a move that rankled many supporters. This, however became a watershed moment as it was this manouvre that brought Luke Hodge to the club, the man who would later become known as 'The General'.
Hodge was often unfairly judged in his early tenure at the club, constantly compared to Chris Judd and even Luke Ball who despite being selected after him in the 2001 ‘Super Draft’, were dominating with much stronger clubs. It seemed a weekly routine after Hawthorn matches that talk back radio phone lines would light up with outraged Hawk fans, particularly during the grim period of 2004-6, with many questioning 'why did we select Hodge and not Judd, or even Ball?'
Read: Review of the draft class of '01
As is often the case, with time comes clarity and from 2007 onwards, Hodge's outstanding performance silenced the fickle throng and I'm sure there are plenty who now claim to have always been one of the 'true believers'.
His true "Legend" status began in the finals series of 2008, where Hodge suffered a blood curdling blow in the prelim against St Kilda which undoubtedly resulted in cracked ribs. The Hawks won this game to face the juggernaut team of the era, Geelong in the following week's Grand Final. The Cats' players tested his ribs early on in the contest, however Hodge responded by tapping his ribs and invited them to give their best crack. It was an act of intimidation, similar that of a boxer who smiles at his opponent after being struck a sickening blow. This action, in retrospect, turned the feared Cats into exploitable kittens. The Geelong team cowered while the Hawks were inspired. Hodge won the Norm Smith Award as best afield that day, in what many view as the greatest Grand Final upset of the modern era.
The pivotal part Hodge played in commandeering the remarkable 2008 flag highlighted his pre-eminence as a figure in big games and after assuming the captaincy in 2011, some of these acts became almost biblical. These 'show-time' acts of skill combined with his self-sacrificial one percenters were a highlight of the Hawks' dynasty that reaped an outrageous three-peat of flags between 2013-15.
Few will dispute that he has been amongst the greatest leaders, not just in the VFL/AFL, but in the wider sporting community and I am sure that in time we will be saying his name in the same breath as other greats of the game such as EJ Whitten and John Kennedy Snr.
As he departs, my appreciation is immense. Not just for the joy he has given me in watching his many great games for the Club, but also the life lessons he has provided to me. His resolve to fight through tough periods and prevail and never give up are an inspiration to me and countless other fans. He has shown us all that, even when we're beaten down, we can find a way to rise and win.
