Lions back Hodge
LUKE Hodge is set to remain in the Brisbane backline despite suggestions he should consider retirement after a poor AFL game against Richmond.
The 309- game defender has received the backing of the club, with chief executive Greg Swann defending his recruitment from Hawthorn in the off- season at the age of 33 and claims he was past his best.
Hodge had five clangers at a disposal efficiency of 58 per cent in the 93- point loss to the Tigers as the Lions kicked just two goals at the MCG. It’s also been argued he’s defensively vulnerable and would better serve from the coaches’ box.
The club recruited Hodge with the expectation he’d play most games this season and Swann says that remains the case.
“We had a bad game. But I think the three weeks before that, Luke has been one of our better players,” Swann told SEN radio.
“We thought ( the comments) were a bit premature saying he should retire after one game because I think that body of work he’s put forward last month, I think he’s more than held his own.
“When the ball is in his area he’s still really hard to beat.”
The four- time premiership player had been signed to help fast- track the development of the Lions, who have one of the youngest lists in the league.
The club followed their wooden spoon with a 0- 4 start to the season, with last weekend’s blowout following three competitive losses.
“The stuff that he does at training, the leadership group and everything else he does around the club, both on and off- field, the coaching stuff, you can’t buy that,” Swann said.
“We just think he adds so much more than being a player, ( so) we have no regrets and don’t think he should sit in the grandstand.”
Meanwhile, Hawthorn will be without injured AFL stars Cyril Rioli and Paul Puopolo for up to six weeks.
Rioli suffered a knee injury and Puopolo strained a hamstring in the Hawks’ resounding win over Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday.
Rioli drove his right knee into the turf in the second quarter as he tried to evade a tackle.
It is the same knee that kept the four- time premiership star sidelined after round eight last season.
“Cyril has a moderate- grade medial ligament injury,” performance manager Andrew Russell said.
“It is on the same side as his PCL last year, but it’s a completely new injury, not related at all.
“It looks like it’s somewhere in the five- to- six- week range at this stage.”
Puopolo injured his right hamstring chasing down and tackling Demons defender Jake Lever in the third quarter.
“He’s got a decent hamstring strain and he’s going to miss four to six weeks,” Russell said.