Brett Hodgson
Encyclopedia
Brett Hodgson is an Australian professional rugby league
footballer for the Warrington Wolves
of Super League
. A New South Wales State of Origin
representative goal-kicking fullback, he has played club footbll in the NRL for the Western Suburbs Magpies
, Parramatta Eels
and Wests Tigers
(winning the 2005 premiership with them) and in Super League
for the Huddersfield Giants
.
In 2008, Hodgson became the last remaining pre-2000 Western Suburbs Magpies' footballer playing in the NRL, before John Skandalis
returned to the competition in 2009. In 2009 Hodgson won Super League
's Man of Steel Award.
. He made his first-grade debut under coach Tommy Raudonikis
in round 11 of the 1997 ARL season, when Wests met the South Queensland Crushers
at Campbelltown Stadium
.
joint venture club, Wests Tigers
, and, to obtain a fullback position, he signed with Parramatta for the 2000 NRL season. Hodgson's 2000 season was cut short following a high tackle from Cronulla's
Mitch Healey
, breaking his jaw.
The 2001 season was a successful one for Hodgson and Parramatta. Hodgson was selected for City Origin
and the club made it to the grand final. Described as a "lethal, attacking full-back", Hodgson scored two tries in Parramatta's loss to Newcastle
in the 2001 grand final. During his time at the Eels, Hodgson was the recipient of Gordon Tallis's famous slingshot tackle, whilst was representing NSW in the 2002 State of Origin series.
In 2003, Hodgson's final year at Parramatta was cut short in round 16 with a rib injury.
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Hodgson returned to Campbelltown when he signed with the Wests Tigers
in 2004. Hodgson's successful 2005 season resulted in the Dally M
Fullback of the Year and the NRL competition's leading pointscorer with 308 points. He went on to play at fullback and kicking five goals in the Tigers' 2005 NRL Grand Final
victory over the North Queensland Cowboys
.
On 23 July 2006, midway through the first half of the clash between Wests Tigers and his former club, Parramatta Eels, Hodgson sustained medial and cruciate ligament injuries and was sidelined for the remainder of the season.
In Round 12 of the 2007 NRL season, Hodgson fractured his cheekbone in the match against the Parramatta Eels
. After surgery to repair the fracture, Hodgson was sidelined for seven rounds and returned in Round 20 for his 200th first-grade game, a resounding win against the North Queensland Cowboys
.
Salary cap restraints at the Wests Tigers forced Hodgson to look elsewhere for a contract for the 2009 season. He played his last game for the Wests Tigers on 7 September 2008 and although the club failed to make the top eight, they did send Hodgson out with a win against the Gold Coast Titans
, 28–12. Hodgson was named Man of the Match. At the club's end of season awards, Hodgson was voted the Members' Player of the Year for 2008.
from 2009. In February, 2009, Hodgson was named team captain, replacing Chris Thorman
.
Hodgson was awarded with the Super League's 'Man of Steel' Award after his first season with the Huddersfield Giants, becoming only the fourth Australian to win the prestigious award since it was introduced in 1977.http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/8291759.stm In April 2010 it was announced that Hodgson has signed for Super League rivals Warrington Wolves
from 2011 on a two year contract.
His final day as an official Huddersfield player was on the 7th October 2010.
against England
at Headingley on 10
June 2011. They won the game.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer for the Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
of Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
. A New South Wales State of Origin
Rugby League State of Origin
State of Origin is an annual best of three series of rugby league football matches contested by the Maroons and the Blues, who represent the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales respectively...
representative goal-kicking fullback, he has played club footbll in the NRL for the Western Suburbs Magpies
Western Suburbs Magpies
The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...
, Parramatta Eels
Parramatta Eels
The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League...
and Wests Tigers
Wests Tigers
The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs...
(winning the 2005 premiership with them) and in Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
for the Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....
.
In 2008, Hodgson became the last remaining pre-2000 Western Suburbs Magpies' footballer playing in the NRL, before John Skandalis
John Skandalis
John Skandalis is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Wests Tigers of the NRL. He played previously for the Western Suburbs Magpies and Huddersfield Giants...
returned to the competition in 2009. In 2009 Hodgson won Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
's Man of Steel Award.
Early years
An Eagle Vale (Campbelltown) junior, Hodgson was graded to the Western Suburbs MagpiesWestern Suburbs Magpies
The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...
. He made his first-grade debut under coach Tommy Raudonikis
Tommy Raudonikis
Tommy Raudonikis OAM is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He played over twenty-nine Tests and World Cup games as Australia representative halfback and captained his country in two Tests of the 1973 Kangarooo tour.-Early life and club playing career:Raudonikis is the son of a...
in round 11 of the 1997 ARL season, when Wests met the South Queensland Crushers
South Queensland Crushers
The South Queensland Crushers were an Australian rugby league football club based in Brisbane, Queensland. In 1992 it was decided that the team would be admitted into the New South Wales Rugby League competition, along with three other teams, as part of the League's expansion plans for professional...
at Campbelltown Stadium
Campbelltown Stadium
Campbelltown Stadium, formerly Orana Park and Campbelltown Sports Ground, is a rugby league stadium in Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia. It is the full time home ground for the Western Suburbs Magpies District Rugby League Football Club and is one of three home grounds for the Wests Tigers...
.
Parramatta Eels
In 1999, Hodgson turned down a position with the new Wests and Balmain TigersBalmain Tigers
The Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles...
joint venture club, Wests Tigers
Wests Tigers
The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs...
, and, to obtain a fullback position, he signed with Parramatta for the 2000 NRL season. Hodgson's 2000 season was cut short following a high tackle from Cronulla's
Cronulla Sharks
The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks are Australian professional Rugby league team based in Cronulla, in the Sutherland Shire, Southern Sydney, New South Wales...
Mitch Healey
Mitch Healey
Mitch Healey is a former member of the Cronulla Sharks rugby team and current coach.-Debut:His first start was on Saturday, March 17, 1990 against the Gold Coast Seagulls at Seagulls Stadium . He started his debut with a try to put the visitors in front for the first time in that match...
, breaking his jaw.
The 2001 season was a successful one for Hodgson and Parramatta. Hodgson was selected for City Origin
City vs Country Origin
City vs Country is an annual Australian rugby league football match that takes place in New South Wales between City and Country representative sides. The City side represents the Sydney metropolitan area...
and the club made it to the grand final. Described as a "lethal, attacking full-back", Hodgson scored two tries in Parramatta's loss to Newcastle
Newcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
in the 2001 grand final. During his time at the Eels, Hodgson was the recipient of Gordon Tallis's famous slingshot tackle, whilst was representing NSW in the 2002 State of Origin series.
In 2003, Hodgson's final year at Parramatta was cut short in round 16 with a rib injury.
Wests Tigers
Wests Tigers
The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs...
in 2004. Hodgson's successful 2005 season resulted in the Dally M
Dally M Medal
The Dally M Medal is the premier individual award in the Australian rugby league competition, which is given to the player voted by sports commentators as the best and fairest in the competition for that year....
Fullback of the Year and the NRL competition's leading pointscorer with 308 points. He went on to play at fullback and kicking five goals in the Tigers' 2005 NRL Grand Final
2005 NRL Grand Final
The 2005 NRL Grand Final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the 2005 National Rugby League season. It was played on the night of Sunday, 2 October at Sydney's Telstra Stadium between 4th-placed Wests Tigers and 5th-placed North Queensland Cowboys, the only two clubs in the...
victory over the North Queensland Cowboys
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
.
On 23 July 2006, midway through the first half of the clash between Wests Tigers and his former club, Parramatta Eels, Hodgson sustained medial and cruciate ligament injuries and was sidelined for the remainder of the season.
In Round 12 of the 2007 NRL season, Hodgson fractured his cheekbone in the match against the Parramatta Eels
Parramatta Eels
The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League...
. After surgery to repair the fracture, Hodgson was sidelined for seven rounds and returned in Round 20 for his 200th first-grade game, a resounding win against the North Queensland Cowboys
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
.
Salary cap restraints at the Wests Tigers forced Hodgson to look elsewhere for a contract for the 2009 season. He played his last game for the Wests Tigers on 7 September 2008 and although the club failed to make the top eight, they did send Hodgson out with a win against the Gold Coast Titans
Gold Coast Titans
Gold Coast Titans are an Australian professional rugby league football club, based in the Gold Coast, Queensland. The club competes in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership. It is the newest of the sixteen clubs in the league, having commenced its...
, 28–12. Hodgson was named Man of the Match. At the club's end of season awards, Hodgson was voted the Members' Player of the Year for 2008.
Huddersfield Giants
Hodgson signed a two year deal to play in the UK for the Huddersfield GiantsHuddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....
from 2009. In February, 2009, Hodgson was named team captain, replacing Chris Thorman
Chris Thorman
Christopher Thorman is a professional rugby league player currently playing for York City Knights in the Co-Operative Championship]and previously Hull in the Engage Super League...
.
Hodgson was awarded with the Super League's 'Man of Steel' Award after his first season with the Huddersfield Giants, becoming only the fourth Australian to win the prestigious award since it was introduced in 1977.http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/8291759.stm In April 2010 it was announced that Hodgson has signed for Super League rivals Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
from 2011 on a two year contract.
His final day as an official Huddersfield player was on the 7th October 2010.
Warrington Wolves
Brett Hodgson was selected for the Exiles squad for the Rugby League International Origin MatchRugby League International Origin Match
The Rugby League International Origin Match is an annual rugby league fixture between the English national side and an Exiles side consisting of foreign players currently playing in the English Super League competition. The match was held for the first time at Headingley Carnegie Stadium in Leeds...
against England
England national rugby league team
The England national rugby league team represent England in international rugby league football tournaments. The team has now seen a revival, having largely formed from the Great Britain team, who also represented Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The team is run under the auspices of the Rugby Football...
at Headingley on 10
June 2011. They won the game.