The 15-word email to coach Craig Starcevich that sparked Lions star Courtney Hodder’s AFLW career
Now she’s an All-Australian contender, but there was a time when Courtney Hodder was battling surgery after surgery and self doubt. The Lions star reveals the email to coach Craig Starcevich that changed it all.
“Hey Craig, it is Courtney Hodder. Are you still interested in me? Because I’m ready.”
Those were the fifteen words that took Brisbane Lions AFLW star Courtney Hodder almost two years to muster up.
Not by call or text, but via email.
Two days later, the Lions handed Hodder a rookie contract.
The 25-year-old laughs about it now – refusing to give the club her phone number and instead “hiding behind a screen” for her first communication with Brisbane coach Craig Starcevich.
But it was a major moment for a person who had spent close to two-and-a-half years fighting to restore faith in her body and sporting ability after a horrific broken leg.
“At 17 – I think it was a week before my (18th) birthday – I broke my fibula and tibia. It set me back two-and-a-half years,” Hodder said.
“I had four surgeries, so many complications – I’m still dealing with a little bit of the complications now, I feel like with injuries you never really get back to your true self.”
A three-time junior All-Australian, Hodder walked away from Australian rules in high school to pick up rugby union and play alongside her schoolmates.
She debuted for the Western Force in the inaugural Super W Rugby competition, scoring six tries in her very first game and ending the season as the leading tryscorer and earning a place in the Aussie 7s development squad.
But just as Hodder’s star was rising she was struck down by the brutal broken leg.
“That was a big emotional journey for me, but it has made me stronger now. I wouldn’t be the athlete I am if I didn’t go through that,” she said.
“It definitely drove me to want to be better and have the career I have now.
“It definitely couldn’t have been so different. There were so many days where I just wanted to give up, but I was lucky that I had such an amazing support network that wasn’t going to let me give up.
“I wouldn’t wish that on anyone else. Injuries are a big deal and for people who come back from them, I take my hat off to them because it takes a lot of courage and support.”
In the early stages of her rehabilitation, Hodder received an Instagram DM from out of the blue.
It was Brisbane Lions AFLW midfielder, Aly Anderson.
“She said ‘Hey, I heard your dad is in Queensland – was wondering if you live here too? Craig remembers you from the U18s and we are really interested in you’,” Hodder recalled.
“I was still not running at this point, I think it was 2019. My response was: ‘Hey thanks, I know Freo are looking at me too but I’m not running at the moment so I don’t think I’m ready’.”
Almost two years later, Hodder was back on her feet and after a single-season stint with the Queensland Reds, she decided to reach out to Anderson and gauge the Lions’ interest once more.
“Aly said ‘He (Starcevich) will give you a call, what is your number’? And I said ‘I’m OK, I will just email him’,” Hodder recounted with a chuckle.
“So I didn’t give him my phone number because I didn’t really want to talk – just hiding behind a screen.”
Two days later she was a Lion and later that year, she became an AFLW premiership player.
“That was my little way of getting to the Lions – such a funny and unique one, but I wouldn’t change it for the world,” Hodder said.
“If it wasn’t for Aly and Craig reaching out, who knows where I would be.
“I felt like, not being confident in my own body, I didn’t want to come into a professional sport when I was wounded.
“I really wanted to come in and put my best foot forward. In that 2021 season I was definitely ready to go out there and give it my all – I had found my feet and confidence again.”
Five years later and Hodder is one of the AFLW’s premier small forwards.
Next week she will be a genuine contender for her first All-Australian blazer.
But before she can think about that, Hodder and her Lions have a job to do on Saturday when Carlton comes to town for a blockbuster preliminary final at Brighton Homes Arena.
The Blues produced what was then considered one of the upsets of the season when they knocked off the Lions at home by 14 points in Round 3.
Since then Brisbane has a 9-1 record but the Blues were impressive in their semi-final demolition of Hawthorn last weekend.
“It kind of felt like a finals game back then,” Hodder said of their early-season encounter.
“To go up against them now is pretty cool and I guess it gives us a bit of a chance at redemption.
“The way they moved the ball against Hawthorn, they were really skilful. We have a lot of work to do to get over the line.”
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Originally published as The 15-word email to coach Craig Starcevich that sparked Lions star Courtney Hodder’s AFLW career
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