Super W: Reds’ Diminutive dasher Courtney Hodder aiming to torment NSW from fullback
Speedster Courtney Hodder could easily have had a crack at AFLW, but chose rugby and it’s paying dividends for both her and the Queensland Reds Super W side.
Rugby
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The hot pink headgear flashes into the backline just a split-second before the fancy footwork that propels Aboriginal flyer Courtney Hodder into a gap you never thought existed.
The exciting new face at fullback for the Queensland Reds really is the pocket-sized secret weapon for Saturday’s 3pm Super W showdown against NSW at Ballymore.
At just 1.54cm, the 19-year-old is smaller than many jockeys.
It’s the size of her bite as an attacker that is her calling card with five tries in her two Super W outings for the Reds since moving from Perth.
She’s exactly the style of player that rugby’s talent spotters wanted to find in the indigenous ranks...a natural, pacy stepper with an infectious zest to attack from anywhere.
The socks-down ace is a fascinating story because she played Aussie rules for a decade, as well as touch rugby, in AFL-mad Western Australia.
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Rather than chase an AFLW break as a an explosive midfielder, Hodder backed herself in rugby and has beaten major injury to make a striking comeback.
After an eye-popping six-try game for WA against Melbourne in Super W’s inaugural 2018 season, Hodder missed all of last year because of a major leg injury.
When going in to make a tackle, another player fell over her and both bones in her left leg were snapped.
“There have been lots of ups and downs but it’s an amazing feeling to be back and playing for the Reds’ girls,” Hodder said.
“Scoring a few tries and the two wins are such a confidence booster because it just shows me that putting in the hard yards is paying off.
“I started off in sevens so this game is still pretty new because I’ve probably only played 10 games of XVs in my life.
“It was a massive move from Perth to Brisbane but it has all been worth it.”
Making that all so much more comfortable has been living with the family of a Reds’ squadmate, Destiny Brill, 16, and her mother Lily.
The flashes of Brill-iance from the youngster in her debut as a replacement halfback against Melbourne shows how quickly the next generation is feeding into Super W.
Her dummying dart-and-dash over 55m for her first try was a sure sign of a big future.
She drops out of Saturday’s squad with the return of Ayane Hirata as starting halfback.
The versatile Lavinia Gould has been switched from inside centre to flanker which creates the chance for young Torres Strait Islander Hagiga Moseby to make her debut at No.12.
These absorbing Reds-Waratahs matches have been the elite end of Super W and the Reds are keener than ever to write a new script where they are not always bridesmaids.
REDS: Courtney Hodder, Ivania Wong, Alana Elisaia, Hagiga Moseby, Lori Cramer (c), Zahara Temara, Ayane Hirata, Okeroa Manihera, Lavinia Gould, Natassja Purontakanen, Shannon Mato, Kiri Lingman, Christina Sekona, Averyl Mitchell, Liz Patu. Reserves: Ivy Kaleta, Bree-Anne Cheatham, Hilisha Samoa, Lesa Kaleti Mataafa, Saxon Campbell, Gabby Senft, Cobie-Jane Morgan, Sarah Riordan.
TV: Fox Sports (live)
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