Stuart shows faith in unkown with Hodgson injured

THE thought of keeping injured England international Josh Hodgson in cotton wool doesn’t faze Canberra coach Ricky Stuart.

Not after unheralded hooker Adam Clydsdale’s heroics in Friday night’s 13-12 NRL loss in Brisbane. Stuart should be a worried man after marquee No.9 Hodgson looked set for a sideline stint with what is believed to be a bruised sternum.

Especially with back-up rake Kurt Baptiste also out recovering from a ruptured achilles. But the Raiders mentor said he would not fast track Hodgson’s return after Clydsdale’s gutsy display.

Clydsdale stepped up to finish the match at dummy-half after Hodgson lasted only 45 minutes.

“It’s early in the season. We won’t risk Josh if he needs a week or so off,” Stuart said.

“He is too important to the team. But I must say Adam did a great job. It’s always a big job for players such as Adam to fill in for big players like Josh but I think he did well for us.”

Clydsdale shone on a bench minus David Taylor.

The hulking forward was denied a reunion against former club Brisbane after Stuart opted to replace him with Joe Tapine, back from a broken finger.

“I had enough big men on the bench,” Stuart said.

“Dave will now go back and get big minutes in second grade.

“He’s certainly not going back because of performance.

“I thought he was really good in his first game back, he was committed to the off-season and fitted in well.”

Taylor received an off-season NRL lifeline from Canberra – his fifth club in 11 years.