Unsung NRL players spread the ‘good’ word across country areas to promote the game

MICHAEL Hodgson looks out across a room of young bush footballers. Schoolboys mostly. Teenagers who tonight, seated in rows before him, he’s charged with shaping, writes Nick Walshaw.

MICHAEL Hodgson looks out across a room of young bush footballers.

Schoolboys mostly.

Teenagers who tonight, seated in rows before him, he’s charged with shaping.

Even, changing.

Only one problem.

“Nobody here,” he laughs, “knows who I am”.

And to be fair, how would the rest of you go?

Sure, you could probably pick Josh Hodgson, Canberra Raider.

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The NRL Wellbeing and Education program hit Mudgee this week. Art: Boo Bailey

And Brett Hodgson, that wiry Western Suburbs product whose career existed in direct opposition to that one image involving collar, Gorden Tallis and an Origin sideline.

But Michael Hodgson?

Hmmmm, give us a sec.

Which may explain why Andrew Ryan — the retired Kangaroo who, apart from being employed fulltime by the NRL, is a name you do know — offers his own introduction for this mate he handpicked to be here.

For Ryan, he knows Hodgson is a leaguie any parent would want a son to become.

Same deal Kurt Gidley. And Alan Tongue.

But more on them shortly.

First. let Ryan walk this room of NRL wannabes through Hodgson’s three years at Parramatta, six with Canberra, two more on the Gold Coast and four in Canterbury-Bankstown.

Sure, the game tried to end him.

Several times.

Michael Hodgson had a long and successful career out of the headlines

Yet Hodgson, well, he dug in like an Alabama tick.

Indeed, while the Greatest Game of All can often be anything but — given roughly a third of players never make it past 10 games — Hodgo churned through 204. Over 14 seasons.

And all without a single Bubbler episode.

“Which proves,” he grins, “you can fail to make headlines while still making a career”.

Which is exactly why, since in October, this unsung Newcastle product has been traversing NSW as part of an NRL Wellbeing and Education program which aims to reach 600 country players.

Not only helping save bush footy, but in a wider sense, rugby league.

Led by Ryan, the team also including the likes of Gidley and Tongue. With Dene Halatau. Ben Smith, Daniel Abraham and Tom Learoyd-Lahrs also acting as mentors.

And when lined together, these names show a pattern, right?

Not only as athletes, but men.

Andrew Ryan has been a part of the NRL wellbeing program for many years

“Because this program, it isn’t about footy,” Ryan explains. “We’re not here to be coaches.”

No, the reason for travelling the length and breadth of NSW is to help shape what has long been considered league’s greatest asset — young, bush talent — by intertwining their own experiences and thoughts with the NRL program.

And, sure, this isn’t going to save some country clubs.

Nor cease the alarming drop in numbers and talent from problem areas.

Still next time somebody asks, ‘What’s the game doing for bush footy’, tell them about Gidley.

That Newcastle favourite who, when it comes his turn to speak, talks not of his NSW captaincy, but a winter years earlier when he couldn’t even break into the Knights Juniors program.

Still, he kept turning up to trainings anyway.

“With the goal,” he recalls, “of winning every drill”.

Which he did.

Only years later learning that his eventual selection came because club officials were so impressed by his want, they eventually extended the squad by one to fit him in.

It’s a similar story with Halatau, the New Zealand Test player who went right through his teens “never getting picked”. Or Ben Smith, the Eels favourite who traces his successful career, initially, to choosing against smoking weed with his mates.

Ben Smith is another ex-NRL player helping educate the game’s next generation

“A decision,” he recalls, “which then triggered an avalanche of life choices”.

At which point, you suddenly wonder if the NRL wannabes in this room see what you do?

If they look across at the four retirees joining Bobcat on stage — this particular night Gidley, Smith, Hodgson, Halatau, Abraham — and realise that even with almost 1500 top grade games between them, with Test appearances, Origin wins, even premiership rings, there is nothing here but effort and want.

The skills of, say, Todd Carney? Nup.

Nor the brilliance of Ben Barba, either.

And good luck the five of them combined attracting the controversy that’s been Matthew Lodge in Brisbane this week.

Still, this is about the Good Guys fighting back.

About not only talking to young footballers en masse, but then breaking into small groups of less than 10 to discuss all those anonymous efforts that got Hodgson no headlines, but over 200 games.

Kurt Gidley and the wellbeing team are currently travelling throughout country NSW

Take Ryan, the backrower who finished his career with 11 Test and 12 Origins — yet started as the high schooler who couldn’t even make a Dubbo Possibles versus Probables game.

So what he talks about, is giving his shot everything he had.

So tomorrow turn up to school early, he says. Learn to cook healthy, too.

And, please, get yourselves educated.

“Because between us we’ve played around 1500 games, won premierships, the lot,” he says. “And now we’re all out working.”

And so the road train rolls on.

Last Saturday afternoon, Dubbo. Monday night, Wyong.

The latest stops in a rugby league movement pushing through towns like Albury, Tamworth and Lake Burrendong. Then Kempsey, Wagga, Batemans Bay, even Lennox Head.

“But look, this isn’t about us,” Ryan will tell the group in closing. “We’ve all had our go, played our footy.

“But now, this is your time.

“Your life.

“So what are you gunna do with it?”

Originally published as Unsung NRL players spread the ‘good’ word across country areas to promote the game