Luke Hodge on...
The pressure of being a No. 1 draft pick
“The club was fantastic. They said, ‘Don’t listen to what people write about in the papers, or what they talk about on television. It’s what you can do to help our club’. They gave me a simple job to do, and that helped me.”
His first Hawthorn coach, Peter Schwab
“He was great for me. I used to sit down with him every week, and he’d just make sure I was going well. He’s such a good people person, so I’ve got
a huge amount of respect for him.”
Alastair Clarkson
“What you see on the outside is not really what you get with ‘Clarko’. He’s someone who’ll have just as much fun with the boys. If there’s a prank that gets played, it’s either him or Michael Osborne behind it. But he also knows when to switch on and be serious for football. And he’d do anything to protect the boys. I think that’s a great thing to have as a coach.”
The love from Hawthorn fans
“That’s the best part about this footy club, as well as the people within it. I’ve just got on Twitter, and all the support they (the fans) give you, especially when you’re injured … and if you have a bad game, they’re always saying, ‘Good luck for next week’. They’ve been excellent.”
The 2012 team versus the 2008
“The 2008 one has the score on the board,
so I’d have to go with that.”
Cyril Rioli’s highlights tape versus Lance Franklin’s
“Sorry ‘Franky’, I’m going to have to go ‘Junior’ (Rioli). Some of his goals, and his chasing and tackling … it’s not just about what he can do when he’s got the ball, it’s about what he does to help his teammates out. When I was injured, watching him was a highlight.”
Footy versus cricket
“I used to love cricket, but I was just too erratic. I was one of those fast bowlers who more tried to aim at the batsman than the stumps. It was a good game and I enjoyed it, but football was what I always wanted to play.”
Toughest opponents
“I played centre half-back in 2009, and one week I had (Brisbane Lions captain) Jonathan Brown down in Tassie, and he kicked six on me, and the following week I played on (Sydney Swan) Adam Goodes, and he kicked three and had 30 (possessions). They’re the two who stand out the most.”
Fatherhood
“You go from just worrying about yourself to having someone you’ve got to look after (Hodge and wife Lauren have a young son, Cooper). I’m probably a bit kinder now than what I used to be. It’s not just my way or the highway - I understand where other people are coming from a bit more.”
Impact this year
“Four games of footy is a lot to get the fitness back up. With our group, you don’t have to play 100 per cent in the middle. You can rotate forward or back as well. So I think the two games I’ve already had, plus the four to go, will put me in good stead (for the finals).”
