Luke Hodge sought advice from Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson over possible move to Lions

LUKE Hodge insists he is not rushing a decision over whether to continue his footy career amid rumours he will join Brisbane Lions. But he’s lifted the lid on what Alastair Clarkson told him to do.

AFL Round 23: Hawthorn v. Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium. Luke Hodge and family post match. Picture: Mark Stewart

LUKE Hodge admits he has been drawn to an offer from the Brisbane Lions to continue his decorated career by the prospect of stepping into a greater mentoring and coaching role with young players.

The Hawthorn premiership star is weighing up an approach from the Lions to put retirement plans on hold and extend his 305-game AFL career beyond 2017.

Hodge, 33, would be reunited with Lions coach and long-time Hawks football boss Chris Fagan if he makes the move.

The four-time premiership star said he would “not rush” into a decision about a potential move north that would see him join former teammates Sam Mitchell and Jordan Lewis in finishing their careers away from Hawthorn.

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Luke Hodge of the Hawks celebrates during the 2017 AFL round 23

Hodge said he still had as much passion as ever for playing and said his interest in coaching and mentoring young players had been sparked in 2016.

“I actually loved playing last year more than 2016 and a lot of people might say ‘Why is that?’. We finished in the top-four in 2016 and last year was a different phase and it made me grow into the coaching side of things,’’ Hodge told a Grand Final luncheon.

“Last year Hawthorn people know we had a lot of injuries, we had (Grant) Birchall out for the season, (Ben) Stratton out for most of the season and same with (James) Frawley.

“I was playing down back with (Jack) Gunston who played three games as a defender, I had (Ryan) Burton, (James) Sicily, (Blake) Hardwick and (Kaiden) Brand, a couple of 19 and 20 year olds and a 22 year old.

“And I loved it because you sit there teaching young kids what I have been able to learn across my journey.

“It’s nothing that I have taken for granted ... I loved last year coaching the kids.

“Fages’ when we got talking, ‘Fages’ goes, ‘That’s all we want from you, you’re not coming up to be the best player’, he goes ‘You’re coming up there to be a mentor for these young defenders’.

Luke Hodge has spoken with Clarko about his possible move to Brisbane

“I guess that was something that appealed to me considering my love for last year so much.’’

Hodge said his initial thought after the Lions’ approach was he couldn’t “leave Hawthorn”, but he realised his passion for the game was still enough to be potentially drawn back to the field.

“My initial thought was I can’t leave Hawthorn, I walked into that place as a 17-year-old kid, I’ve loved the place, still do,’’ Hodge said.

“I thought the way it finished off at Hawthorn I couldn’t dream for a better finish to walk out of the place like that.

“But ... football is a massive passion of mine, I love football as much now as I did when I was five or when I was 17 and I walked into the Hawthorn Football Club.’’

Hodge said he had been urged to take the “emotion” out of any decision about his future by his own mentors, who he has discussed the move with, including Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson.

“Clarko said you’ve got a month to make a decision, he goes ‘Take the emotion out of your decision because if your emotion is stuck in the decision you are going to be staying at Hawthorn and you will never want to do anything else’,’’ Hodge said.

“He said ‘You need to make the best decision that is right for your family, the best decision that is right for you moving forward as far as do you want to coach, your personal development moving forward. He goes ‘If anything it’s a nice adventure for your family if you go through with it’.

“The tractions that are there as far as the deal getting done, is probably a two or three, I’ve still got to get Paul (Connors) my manager to go through all that.

“We’re not rushing into it. We’ve got a little bit of time.’’