We won’t let state down

JUSTIN Hodges says he owes Queenslanders an apology for losing the State of Origin series, stating “We let you down”.

Hodges, who has been a fixture of the record- breaking Maroons team, said he was still gutted the Origin shield was heading south this year.

Following Queensland’s defeat in Game Two, it took the 32- year- old three days before he truly realised how much losing meant to not only him but the entire state.

He said knowing Queensland had let down their fans was the toughest aspect of the loss to digest.

“We are not playing for us, we are playing for our family, our supporters and everyone who followed us the past eight or nine years,” Hodges said.

“We felt like we let them down this year.

“To be honest, it was pretty surreal. It didn’t sink in until a few days later that we lost the

KEY FIGURE: Corey Parker. series. It hit me a few days later that streak came to an end.”

Hodges is one of only five current Maroons that have experienced a series defeat before this year.

The other current Queenslanders who know how gutting it is to lose to the Blues are Cameron Smith, Corey Parker, Johnathan Thurston and Billy Slater. All are aged over 31 but none is past his best.

Slater is playing his best football in two years while despite Robbie Farah’s claims, Smith is easily the game’s best dummy- half and while Thurs- ton has had defensive issues against Jarryd Hayne, he has been a rare creative spark for the Maroons.

Parker is 32 but is rightly judged one the NRL’s best backrowers.

Hodges has declared he will not retire from representative football despite the fact he will be 33 when Queensland attempt to win the shield back next year.

While young Newcastle star Dane Gagai’s form demands recognition, statistics prove Queensland need Hodges.

In Origin Two, Hodges made 147 running metres which was significantly more than any other Queensland player and also made the Maroons’ lone line break, when he sliced through the Blues just before halftime.

The Maroons cannot afford to lose Hodges partly because of his talent and partly because he truly understands how much Origin means to Queenslanders.