Maguire and Cleary will inspire Brett
BRETT Hodgson says he’ll be looking to put a number of lessons from Ivan Cleary and Michael Maguire into practice when he starts work with Hull FC.
Hodgson has spent the last three seasons working at Wests Tigers, honing his skills and learning his trade as an assistant coach in the sport’s premier competition.
He spent a season under Cleary before the head coach left to join Penrith Panthers, and two under former Wigan and South Sydney Rabbitohs boss Maguire and he says he has taken traits from both men as he prepares to step into the spotlight at the KCOM Stadium.
“I’ve been very fortunate that as a player and a coach more recently I’ve worked with some coaches who have won titles and been there or thereabouts,” Hodgson said. “You’ve seen with Ivan this year, he led that team to 17 wins in a row and unfortunately lost in the big one. Then Maguire has won a competition at Wigan and Souths.
“With that comes a level of preparation that breeds success. I know at the Tigers we’ve struggled a little bit in the last 12 months but some of the stuff around leadership and getting the best out of players I’ve learnt a lot.
“I’m looking forward to putting my own spin on some of that stuff and working to get the best out of our players.”
A player he will be looking to get more out of at Hull is Mahe Fonua, who he spent time working with at Wests throughout 2018 and 2019.
Fonua scored seven tries for Hull this season but struggled for consistency in the outside backs and Hodgson has already revealed plans to work closely with him once more next year.
“I think Mahe would possibly be the first one to admit that he hasn’t had the season that he had prior to going back to Australia.
For whatever reason that is, only he can say,” Hodgson said.
“I know Mahe very well, I know that Mahe has high standards of his own performances. I’m sure in the off-season he’ll look to rectify some of those minor mistakes that he did make and push to make sure he’s in the team every week.”