Luke Hodge says his friendship with Chris Fagan delayed retirement

WHEN Brisbane sparked Luke Hodge’s interest to extend his career, several Victorian clubs also came calling, but the former Hawk says there was one reason why he delayed his retirement.

Luke Hodge gives out some advice at Brisbane training. Picture: Getty Images

LUKE Hodge says if it wasn’t for his friendship with Chris Fagan he would never be running out for his first game as a Brisbane Lion on Sunday.

The three-time Hawthorn premiership captain stunned the football world last year when he reversed his decision to retire and joined the Lions.

The move came about after a cheeky text from Fagan, who as a long-time senior figure in the Hawthorn football department serving in a variety of roles, had been a mentor to the former No.1 draft pick for the majority of his career.

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Hodge said at the time the text arrived his intentions were firmly on starting the next chapter in his life.

However, he had remained in close contact with Fagan throughout his debut year as Lions coach and the idea began to take hold.

When news began to filter out that Hodge was considering playing on, his management received nibbles from several Victorian clubs who were interested in him filling a similar role as Fagan had in mind, as an on-field coach.

But Hodge said that once he started to think seriously about extending his 305-game career his friendship with Fagan made the Lions the only possible destination.

“If I didn’t have that relationship with Fages prior, the conversation wouldn’t have ever got to the stage it did,’’ he said.

“Fages has been a mentor of mine for 10 years, I’ve bounced that much stuff off him as captain at Hawthorn when he was there but also last year when he was up here I was asking him for advice on different things.’’

Luke Hodge has reunited with his mentor Chris Fagan at the Lions. Picture: AAP

The Lions expect Hodge to play about 15 games but Fagan said that there was no hard rule in place and the veteran defender would probably have his own opinions.

“We all know what he’s like, he’ll want to play every week,’’ he said.

However, Hodge insists he is comfortable fitting in with the football department’s plans and does not want to keep a player out of the side if he is not 100 per cent fit.

He also believes he can provide value in the coach’s box and in the rooms on weekends when he doesn’t play.

“I don’t want to be out on the ground hobbling around and holding a leg or struggling to bend down if my back is playing up a bit,’’ he said.

“Also I can still have an impact on game day, I’ll be in the coaches box pointing out things I’ve seen.

“Maybe he’ll tell me to shut up and sit down, but Fages has given me the licence if I see something to make sure I say it.’’

As it turns out Hodge’s Lions debut, against the Suns at Southport, will be under midfield coach Dale Tapping after Fagan opted to give his assistants the reins throughout the JLT Series.

Originally published as Luke Hodge says his friendship with Chris Fagan delayed retirement