Hokko still has plenty to give
TRENT Hodkinson’s so-called dodgy knee is not the health risk everyone is making out, and the former NSW Origin winning halfback “definitely feels he has plenty of good footy left in him”.
That is the view of Hodkinson’s agent and former top grade player David Riolo, who yesterday defended of one of the NRL’s genuine good guys amid injury “misinformation”.
Riolo plans to continue talks with Manly coach Trent Barrett today to see if they can strike a deal for the out-offavour Newcastle playmaker so Hodkinson can reunite with the club that gave him his start.
Although Hodkinson still has a year to run on his Knights contract, Mitchell Pearce’s arrival basically means the only way Hodkinson will get another crack in the NRL is if he finds a new home.
For that to happen, Hodkinson would need Newcastle to carry a significant whack of his lucrative $800,000-plus contract for next year.
There is even talk if Hodkinson stays at the Knights he will possibly have to play off the bench in NSW Cup because of competition in the halves from Pearce, Connor Watson, Brock Lamb and Jack Cogger.
Barrett is interested in Hodkinson as a possible partner for Daly Cherry-Evans following Blake Green’s departure.
Barrett also has a rap on new recruit Lachlan Croker, although the 20-year-old only has limited NRL experience with Canberra.
It would be a big risk for Manly to go into the new season without an experienced halves partner to take some of the pressure off Cherry-Evans.
While Hodkinson’s past knee problems also cast some doubt over his worth, Riolo is adamant his issues are manageable.
“When he is my age (45) he is going to be a shot duck but so am I, so are most of my mates,” Riolo said.
“That is the nature of a contact sport. It doesn’t leave your body in good shape in later life.
“But there has been a lot of misinformation (about his knees). His health is fine.
“You could check the stats but I don’t think he has missed a game in the last three years through his knee.
“He didn’t get picked a couple of times last year, he got dropped. But it wasn’t his knee.”
Riolo said Newcastle coach Nathan Brown had been supportive of Hodkinson’s situation but that doesn’t make it any easier for a man who has conducted himself honourably in his career, on and off the field.
“Trent just gets on with it and does what he is supposed to do but it is not an ideal situation, is it?” Riolo said.
“But that is modern day football. You can either sulk or you can get on with it and Trent is a very positive person and he just gets on with it. He definitely feels that he has plenty of good footy left in him.”