Dermott Brereton says Luke Hodge will rival club greats as Hawthorn’s greatest ever captain

LUKE Hodge will rival legends Graham Arthur and Don Scott as Hawthorn’s greatest ever captain, according to five-time premiership superstar Dermott Brereton.

Luke Hodge in the moments after playing in his fourth premiership. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

LUKE Hodge will rival legends Graham Arthur and Don Scott as Hawthorn’s greatest ever captain, according to five-time premiership superstar Dermott Brereton.

Brereton was on the Hawks’ board when the club crowned Hodge dux of the 2001 ‘Super Draft’ and on Monday recounted how a post-game chat with his father in 2002 foreshadowed Hodge’s fierce mindset.

Arthur was named captain of Hawthorn’s Team of the Century and led the club to its maiden premiership in 1961, while Scott skippered the 1976 and 1978 flags.

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Hodge, 33, captained Hawthorn to its historic premiership three-peat from 2013-2015, winning the 2008 and 2014 Norm Smith Medals and polling votes in all four winning Grand Finals.

Brereton said that while Leigh Matthews was Hawthorn’s best ever player, he wasn’t in the top bracket of leaders because he “didn’t captain all that long” due to Scott’s tenure.

Luke Hodge is as tough as any player in the AFL. Picture: Michael Klein

“Hodge has probably got to be right up there with Graham Arthur, who was our captain of the century, and Don Scott who was an incredible captain of the football club,” Brereton said.

“I’d say he’s up there equal with those two. Graham was captain of the century, and if there was anyone who was going to press Graham Arthur for that type of mantle it was going to be Don Scott.

“I think Luke’s right up there with them, and as a player he’s been just incredible.”

Geelong Falcons talent boss Michael Turner’s glowing endorsement helped Hawthorn settle on Hodge ahead of Chris Judd and Luke Ball as the club’s second No. 1 draft pick.

Brereton said the Hawks “steered away” from Judd because of his sore shoulders and Ball, an intelligent student and natural sportsman, was the “safe bet”.

“Judd’s best years were the best midfielder’s years I’ve seen,” Brereton said

“But Hodge in that ‘super draft’ has by the end of his career completely and utterly vindicated the decision to take him No. 1,” Brereton said.

“There’s not too many No. 1 draft picks who if you were to do the redraft you’d say they got that right, but he is one.”

Brereton said his favourite Hodge memory stemmed from that conversation with his father in the MCG rooms after the youngster’s fifth game.

“I knew (Hodge) was cut from a different cloth when I asked his dad, ‘How’s Luke enjoying it?’,” Brereton said.

“I expected his dad to say, ‘Give him more of a go, try and treat him this way’ like 99 per cent of all fathers do.

“And Hodgey’s old man said, ‘Grab that little bastard by the ear and kick him up the arse and make him work harder’. And you knew this kid was brought up with a hard edge.”

Scott on Monday said he would’ve loved to have played with Hodge.

“He started at the bottom of the mountain and climbed to the top and I wish him all the best in retirement,” Scott said.

Hodge celebrated a win with 123 out of the 132 teammates he has played with.