Justin Hodges

[Dazzat]

LOL@ all the Qld tossers saying the selectors have "blue bias". What a joke. Gasniers more dangerous and a better centre imo.

IMO is the key here from the Hutt-meister. All the stats - linebreaks, offloads and defensive effort - favoured Hodges last year.

But let's not let facts stand in the way of winning an argument.

If you sifted through all the Broncos games last year, you wouldn't find too many games where Hodges did not break the line at least once or twice and set up his support or scored himself. More often than not (particularly after Lockyer was injured) he made this breaks from ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. He would be surrounded by four or five defenders and bamboozle them.

On the other hand, Gasnier delivers spasmodically. He'll make a break or two in one game, but not the next. He is INCONSISTENT compared with Hodges.

And don't come the argument that Gasnier stars in a beaten side. As mentioned, Hodges was making breaks and scoring points at the end of last season when the rest of the team without Lockyer was doing nothing.

There IS no contest ... Hodges in the game.

 

[Hutty1986]

IMO is the key here from the Hutt-meister. All the stats - linebreaks, offloads and defensive effort - favoured Hodges last year.

But let's not let facts stand in the way of winning an argument.

If you sifted through all the Broncos games last year, you wouldn't find too many games where Hodges did not break the line at least once or twice and set up his support or scored himself. More often than not (particularly after Lockyer was injured) he made this breaks from ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. He would be surrounded by four or five defenders and bamboozle them.

On the other hand, Gasnier delivers spasmodically. He'll make a break or two in one game, but not the next. He is INCONSISTENT compared with Hodges.

And don't come the argument that Gasnier stars in a beaten side. As mentioned, Hodges was making breaks and scoring points at the end of last season when the rest of the team without Lockyer was doing nothing.

There IS no contest ... Hodges in the game.

Last year? :lol: :lol: Oh yep, the year where Gasnier played like 3 games! Silly argument mate

And let's not forget the fact Hodges has the worlds best 5/8th giving him quality ball a lot of the time and a dominant forward pack to help him work with better field position.

Gasnier has been relatively inconsistent of late, but I think he's primed for an enormous year, hopefully helping the Blues bring the shield home as well.

And the Cooper argument? Hodges gets absolutely shut out of the game when these two face each other. And that is a fact

 

[salivor]

Hodges slipping back to fullback was the turning point in the Broncos second half comeback in 2006 that saw us go on to win the competition. How many premiership rings does Gasnier have again? Oh yeah that's right, and don't try and pretend he hasn't played in sides more than capable of winning comps.

 

[salivor]

And let's not forget the fact Hodges has the worlds best 5/8th giving him quality ball a lot of the time and a dominant forward pack to help him work with better field position.

You don't watch many Broncos matches do you? Lockyer would have a better combination with the likes of Carroll and previous Tate than he has with Hodges. Just about all of Hodge's breaks come from dummy half or him creating something out of nothing.

And a dominant pack? You're talking like Gasnier only debuted last year. For the majority of his career to date he's played behind one of hte best packs in a comp and a side year after year touted as a premiership contender yet he's still to even play in a grand final let alone win one.

 

[Tommy Smith]

Just remember mate, Hodges was only a kid from Qld living in Sydney with a model girlfriend at the time. His whole life started to crumble away, and craved to go back home with his family. Its only natural to do that. His performance in the 2004 GF was atrocious though, so maybe thats what u meant, and not his actual leaving ?

EDIT : Actually i wouldnt be surprised if the selection of Hodges in the 2004 GF led to our overall demise.... Thats when Ricky gained total control, and thats when we started to lose.

Yeah i was more focusing on his performances towards the end of the season.

Drama aside, all i know is that Sticky gave him another opportunity and it's not so much that he didnt perform but more the fact that the effort just wasn't there IMO.

But i dont hold it against him too much because back then he was in a fragile state of mind and i cant pretend to know what he was going through. So maybe it was more up to Sticky to make the right judgement call by dropping him in favour of someone like Todd Byrne who was atleast committed to the cause.

 

[Walt Flanigan]

He's ok. I mean he's no David Howell but he's alright I guess.

 

[Dazzat]

And the Cooper argument? Hodges gets absolutely shut out of the game when these two face each other. And that is a fact

Mentioning Cooper in the same breathe as Hodges is like trying to play my old LPs on an Ipod ... they live on the same earth and in Australia, but that's about where comparisons end.

Can you back up your 'facts' with 'facts or is is just another "Hutty IMO".

We won't go to the "Cooper getting shut out when he plays against the Broncos" argument because let's face it, Cooper doesn't make too many breaks these days against any team.

 

[badav]

And let's not forget the fact Hodges has the worlds best 5/8th giving him quality ball a lot of the time and a dominant forward pack to help him work with better field position.

Gasnier has been relatively inconsistent of late, but I think he's primed for an enormous year, hopefully helping the Blues bring the shield home as well.

Great argument you have there. Lets not forget that for about half his career Gasnier has played in the "best side on paper". Just because those sides didnt deliver, doesnt mean hodges has had an easy ride.

 

[Billythekid]

Hodges slipping back to fullback was the turning point in the Broncos second half comeback in 2006 that saw us go on to win the competition. How many premiership rings does Gasnier have again? Oh yeah that's right, and don't try and pretend he hasn't played in sides more than capable of winning comps.

Makes a bit of a difference when you pick a fullback with some attacking prowess;-)

 

[Southern Rooster]

Hodges is a good player, but i'd take Gasnier, Cooper, Hayne, Inglis over him any day

Justin Hodges has been the most CONSISTENT centre in the game for 4 to 5 years but he has taken his game to a new level now in Brisbane. He is the best centre going around.

Gasnier is quality but does not get involved enough for my liking at Saints maybe somewhere else would be better for Gasnier.

 

[Nightward]

Maybe, just maybe, the selectors aren't all biased against the Maroons!

Given that the usual argument the selectors give for going for NSW players over Queenslanders is who won Origin, you'd expect that sword to cut both ways.

Oddly enough, it doesn't.

 

[sydraider]

Yeah well if the likes of ricko had of kept it in their pants Hodges would probably still be a rooster. The talent and class has always been there with Hodges, what took away from his performances late into his tenure at the roosters was injury riddled and personal.

 

[Mal Meninga]

Hodges brings it every weekend.

The level he's playing at and has been for the past few years is on par with any other player in the competition.

 

[jimmythehand]

hodges is and has always been a grub. I hate him. See him pull someone's head gear off on friday night? What a piss weak thing to do.

Unfortunately he's also a good player - I'll give him that - but he's also the biggest dick head going around in the centres too.

 

[caylo]

Hodges is a more complete centre than any centre since Lyon in 01. He is aggressive in attack and defense.

I use the example last year when we played and absolutely smashed brisbane. Tahu was killing his opposition with his defense. He smashed Taylor in that game, treating him with little respect. Puletua etc, his hits were generally on the big boys. Up against Hodges, Tahu was made to look like a rag doll, and everyone would know what T is capable of.

Parramatta didn't start to run away with the game until Hodges went off, even though he played 5-8 most of the game. Out of position, he was still able to carry the team until forced off. Not only is he the best centre, but would also be the best fullback in the game. IMO he is the ultimate outside back in the game above Inglus.

Gasnier has a nice step and jink, but thats his limit. His defense is paper thin, and i relay think he is very over-rated. His chances of making anything of the 6 jersey was less than Lyons.

 

[Grail]

I'd take Hodges over any other centre in the game bar none. Gaz is good, but he doesn't fire up enough to warrant a #1 tag.

 

[Hutty1986]

Hodges is a more complete centre than any centre since Lyon in 01. He is aggressive in attack and defense.

I use the example last year when we played and absolutely smashed brisbane. Tahu was killing his opposition with his defense. He smashed Taylor in that game, treating him with little respect. Puletua etc, his hits were generally on the big boys. Up against Hodges, Tahu was made to look like a rag doll, and everyone would know what T is capable of.

Parramatta didn't start to run away with the game until Hodges went off, even though he played 5-8 most of the game. Out of position, he was still able to carry the team until forced off. Not only is he the best centre, but would also be the best fullback in the game. IMO he is the ultimate outside back in the game above Inglus.

Gasnier has a nice step and jink, but thats his limit. His defense is paper thin, and i relay think he is very over-rated. His chances of making anything of the 6 jersey was less than Lyons.

:lol: You are deadset kidding yourself. His defence has improved big time and he scores plenty of tries through strength and power, add that to the footwork and pace and theres a more dangerous opponent than Hodges

 

[Hutty1986]

Hodges slipping back to fullback was the turning point in the Broncos second half comeback in 2006 that saw us go on to win the competition. How many premiership rings does Gasnier have again? Oh yeah that's right, and don't try and pretend he hasn't played in sides more than capable of winning comps.

Premierships are irrelevant and you know it. Look at the sides the Broncs have had over the past decade, they easily match the Saints sides for talent.. One eyed fans death-riding the Dragons convieniently forget that.

 

[Hutty1986]

Mentioning Cooper in the same breathe as Hodges is like trying to play my old LPs on an Ipod ... they live on the same earth and in Australia, but that's about where comparisons end.

Can you back up your 'facts' with 'facts or is is just another "Hutty IMO".

We won't go to the "Cooper getting shut out when he plays against the Broncos" argument because let's face it, Cooper doesn't make too many breaks these days against any team.

:lol: Coopers better defensively and he scored a double against the form team of the comp just last week. (And the fact he's not a grub & a smarta*se like Hodges)

LOL and learn to read champ, I said HODGES gets comprehensively shut out every time he faces Coops, not the other way around. SOO 07, finals games in 06, pretty much every club game between the 2 sides.

 

[Hutty1986]

Great argument you have there. Lets not forget that for about half his career Gasnier has played in the "best side on paper". Just because those sides didnt deliver, doesnt mean hodges has had an easy ride.

They were never the "best side on paper", opposition fans just like to say they were to accuse them of "choking", etc. Hodges hasn't had a easy ride at all, hes a class player, I just think Gasnier has the edge on him.