NRL 2021: Josh Hodgson defends dumped Raiders halfback George Williams, lifts lid on his own future
Former Raiders co-captain Josh Hodgson says he has another ‘four or five good years’ left in him. But will they be in Canberra? He tells his side of the story.
NRL
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
An upset, angry and brutally honest Josh Hodgson has come out swinging in defence of his under-fire former Canberra teammate George Williams, saying he and all the Raiders players are right behind the English playmaker who was sensationally sent packing this week.
In a wide-ranging interview, Hodgson also opened up about his own future, stating “I am not a bench player”.
Hodgson, who gave up his co-captaincy role earlier this season, said if that means moving to another club next year to make way for Tom Starling, then he would do what was in his and the club’s best interests.
Watch The 2021 NRL Telstra Premiership Live & On-Demand with No Ad-Breaks During Play. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >
The homesick Williams had been agitating for a release at the end of the season so he could return to England with his pregnant girlfriend.
But Hodgson contacted The Daily Telegraph on Wednesday so he could put forward his side of the story about how the players felt about Williams’ shock exit.
He said he was in no way trying to antagonise his coach or the club but wanted to stand up for his mate and let people know the homesick halfback was not the man who has been poorly portrayed.
Hodgson also revealed how he fronted coach Ricky Stuart on Wednesday at a team meeting to ask why Williams had to leave immediately. He maintains he and the players still have not received a suitable explanation.
Here is the full interview:
Paul Crawley: So what do you want to say?
Josh Hodgson: I don’t really watch much stuff (on TV) or read much stuff. But I have seen a few clips of people kind of making out like he let us down and turned his back on us.
PC: That is how we were led to believe it worked.
JH: And that is what I mean, from an outside (looking) in I see how much s---, just what my brother tells me, how much s--- George is copping online. But from my side of things and I know from everyone at the club’s side of things because we spoke about it this morning, we all love George to death and we have known since his missus fell pregnant that he has been struggling for a long time to get settled and keep his missus settled. But he busts his arse every day for us and when you see all these things about him f---ing turning his back on his team and all that, it f---ing hurts. It’s like watching your mate getting kicked in the street and just standing by watching. I feel like you’ve got to say something to tell people what a good lad he is. Not once did he kick stones or make a fuss or say that he didn’t want to do x, y or z. Obviously this week about training he couldn’t come in. But, mate, we have all had them days when you have got dramas going on and you are a bit down in the dumps and there are times when you need a bit of a day off. That is certainly not a normal thing for George to do. The picture that is being painted is just not the picture of what George is and what he is about and what a good f---ing club kind of player he is. And Stick (coach Ricky Stuart) only spoke in the meeting this morning, saying he loves George and that … he wouldn’t be saying that if George was a dickhead.
PC: So explain why did the club do what it did then?
JH: That is what I mean. That was kind of my question today and I still don’t really know. That is for the club to explain that one, because as a group we kind of said the same. Like, how come he can’t get a release for the end of the year but all of a sudden he can go now when we need him right now.
PC: Obviously Ricky has the s--- with him not going to training and saying he couldn’t guarantee he would play this week?
JH: I am gathering that but he didn’t sound that way this morning. For us as well it is like it just doesn’t make sense why we can’t let him go at the end of the year, but all of a sudden he has gone now. I don’t know what the club’s decision is. If you can get them to comment on why they could do that then that is up to them, but for me I have seen how much stick George is copping … and if you don’t know what type of bloke he is maybe you do think (this has been a fair representation of him) … that is not him. He is the type of kid who will back you to the hilt and do anything for you. When it is someone that you spend more time with than your family and you see him getting dragged through the mud a little bit and painted to be something that he is not, it hurts you.
PC: Josh, can you be honest, are the players upset with how the club has handled it?
FALSE. I text to explain my mental well-being to the welfare manager? I asked for a release weeks ago for the end of the season... Not once did I ask for a immediate release but Instead of supporting me the club kicked me out the door.
— George Williams (@George7Williams) May 25, 2021
Plus I’ve not even signed the release 🤔 https://t.co/CeXBFkXWsA
JH: They just don’t understand. From me, as a playing group, we just don’t understand how we can go and say, ‘mate you can’t go at the end of the year’, but all of a sudden you can go now. That was my point. That is for the club to explain. I still don’t know what the explanation is. Obviously they have to make a decision. We have a season to get on with and all that, maybe that was the reason. Maybe they just wanted to get it done and dusted and move on. I don’t know. But my reaching out to you was to just square up some of the stuff about George turning his back on us. That is the last type of person George is. He is the type of kid who you would friggin’ go to war for. He is just a legend of a bloke. And I am sure if you ask anyone at the club they will tell you he is a legend of a bloke. I have been around a long time in a few teams and I have seen many blokes who want out who just turn up kicking stones and just tick the boxes just to get paid and he certainly don’t do that mate. To see him painted in such a way and see him dragged through the mud a little bit does hurt when he is one of your good mates and especially when I have been a big advocate for him to come to this place from England … to see it go this way and to see him get painted in a different light to what the kid actually is hurts.
PC: Well, there is no doubt in the world Josh there is mail that there is manoeuvring for him to get a release to go home.
JH: I understand where the logic comes from and you think, ‘oh, it is all making sense now’. But genuinely, George’s girlfriend fell pregnant. I don’t know how many weeks it is now, maybe 20 weeks. Like, it has amplified George’s thoughts. And I know speaking to George his first conversation was, ‘I am just struggling at the minute … we are struggling in terms of settling in, my missus is struggling a little bit in terms of being pregnant and stuff’. And I am sure the club did do as much as it could to help him but, as I said, George has not seen the pound sign and that is what I think is getting perceived. That George is seeing pounds signs back in England. I can tell you from personal experience, there is certainly more money to be earned in the NRL than there is in English Super League. In life, if a bloke is trying to make a decision of what is best by him and his family, which is, rightly or wrongly what anyone else thinks, if you are making a decision that is best by your family, I don’t really think it is fair for anyone else to chime in and make it seem like it is anything other than the fact that he is doing it for his family …. and not once did he say, ‘I want to go now’. He was just saying, ‘I don’t know what is going to happen. I have asked for a release at the end of the year. I am not sure if I will be here (next year) but I am definitely here this year, lads’.
PC: I am not on social media but I got sent something with five or six Raiders ‘liking’ a Tweet that he put out on Tuesday night after the story was debated on NRL360?
JH: I am not on it either but my manager posts some stuff for me every now and then just for sponsorships and things and I said the same, you can like it from me. Social media posts like?
PC: That to me says there is obviously division between the club’s administration or the coaching staff and the players. So what do you say about that?
JH: I think the division is coming from what is being perceived. What is being perceived is that George asked for a release right now and then he got it and he left. That obviously didn’t happen. So that is why the boys having been liking it because they know George didn’t ask for a release right now.
PC: Was it a fiery meeting, who was there?
JH: It was just a team meeting to obviously explain George is gone. As I said, my main (reason) for reaching out to you is for the club to explain their decision. There is people higher up than me who makes the decisions. I am not going to step in the wrong lane. I know my place at the club. I am not going to speculate on what it could be. But from a player’s perspective and from a bloke who has known George a hell of a long time, he is an absolute legend of a bloke who you love playing with and who will bust his arse for you every week and bust his arse every week in training. And would do anything for the team. And as I said, when a man is making a decision for his family I don’t think anyone can knock that.
PC: Do you think you will be at the Raiders next year?
JH: I don’t know. This is honest. I don’t know. I am obviously contracted to Canberra next year. But I have been around a while, I am not stupid. Tommy (Starling) is coming through, he is playing some good footy. He has probably got another 10-15 years ahead of him and I have probably got maybe four. So if I have got to move on for the club to have the next generation coming through I will do that.
PC: Do you feel like you are being pushed out or not?
JH: I don’t know. I was on the bench last week and I have been named on the bench again this week. I am not a bench player. Anyone who knows me knows that so we will have to see how this year pans out. But if that is the way the club wants to go … I love this club. I have given as much as I can for this club. I have found a home away from home here. I am not going to let my own ego stand in the way of the next generation at the club. I want to leave this club always on good terms. I want to leave them in a good position. I don’t want to leave them in the lurch. If I am butting heads to try and start when that is not probably best for Tommy’s development then maybe it is my time to move on.
PC: I reckon if it was anyone else in that position they would be a bit pissed off.
JH: You never take it well. Anyone who plays NRL is competitive to the back teeth … you have always got that bit of belief that you are better than the man in front of you. But I do genuinely love the club.
PC: But it’s funny, I was talking to you over summer and I asked you how long you wanted to play and I think you said mid-30s? Are you 31?
JH: I have got another four, five maybe more years. I have no dramas about my career. You always have people doubt you when your team is struggling. But that is fine. As long as you know yourself how long you have got. I look after myself. I have got another four, five maybe more good years in me. If that is somewhere else then so be it but my first and foremost would be to always do things on good terms with the club because I have certainly found a home away from home here. If I have to step aside to let the next generation come through I am willing to do that.
PC: The club that is always getting pushed is Brisbane.
JH: I heard only about the same things to be honest.
PC: So you know nothing about anything?
JH: As I said, I heard about it. It was on TV. My family was ringing me from England saying, ‘are you going?’ I was like, ‘this is the first time (he’d heard about it). As far as I know things are staying as they are for next year but as we have seen in footy, with George’s case, things can change really quickly. Who knows. It sounds like an old cliché but I am contracted to the club for next year but as I touched on, I am old enough and wise enough that you know sometimes these things happen. And as I said, if that is the case and they have the next generation coming through then I will be willing to step aside if that is going to put the club in good stead for the next few years.
NRL predicted round one teams: How Cowboys replace injured stars
The Cowboys forward pack has been decimated by injuries to key stars, so how will they replace them? See how every team is predicted to start in 2025.
2025 bold sporting predictions: NRL defections, new global superstar
From mid-season defections to a perennial NRL contender’s fall from grace, a young Aussies rise to world domination and an injured veteran’s return to the big stage, we look into our Crystal Ball for the 2025 year in sport.