Hawthorn captain Luke Hodge opens up to Herald Sun reporter Glenn McFarlane

LUKE Hodge was sitting on his couch watching On The Couch when he heard his football mortality being debated and dissected.

LUKE Hodge was sitting on his couch watching On The Couch when he heard his football mortality being debated and dissected.

It was in the second half of last year and Hodge was battling a knee injury that had dulled his impact and had some questioning if the bash-and-crash style he had subjected his body to for more than a decade had prematurely worn him down.

He couldn't turn as fluently out on the field, he was lacking match fitness and at times had to play within his capabilities.

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But from the Hawks' point of view, at least he was playing. That was all that mattered.

Hodge this week recalled listening to Mike Sheahan, questioning fairly he insists, how long he had left in the game.

"I think Mike Sheahan's quotes were something along the lines of the fact that my body might be gone," Hodge said with a smile on his face this week.

"He did say that he had written off Jonathan Brown too early, but it was probably a valid point what they were saying (about him)."

He still has Sheahan's words keyed into his phone, something he has used as motivation to try and smash the perception that he might have limited time left.

On the couch

Almost 12 months on, Hodge has done all that and more.

After managing only 10 games last season including a heartbreaking Grand Final loss to Sydney he has already racked up 11 consecutive games this season.

Tellingly, the only he game he missed Round 1 against Geelong was Hawthorn's only loss for the season.

Hodge, who turned 29 this month, has once more stamped his authority on the game and remains a key component of the Hawks' chase for an 11th flag.

Underlining his impact is the fact he has polled votes in the AFL Coaches Association MVP in eight of his 11 games.

"I suppose you always have a few doubts when you come back from a (posterior cruciate ligament) reconstruction," he said.

130301 Luke Hodge

"It makes you wonder whether you can get back to how you played in the past.

"But I always believed I could do it after speaking to the doctors, physios and the fitness guys. I had missed 10 games or so in the previous seven years, so it wasn't like a wear and tear injury. It was just a collision injury against (St Kilda's David) Armitage (in Round 6 last year)."

Hodge put knee surgery on hold until Hawthorn's 2012 campaign ended in a brave but ultimately unsuccessful Grand Final epic with Sydney.

"I've never watched it, and I probably won't," Hodge said of the match.

But like the message keyed into his phone, he has taken that experience, and his disjointed 2012 season, to drive him to do and be better.

Hawthorn head of coaching and development Chris Fagan has seen a subtle yet significant change in Hodge, saying he is as driven as ever, but he is also training and playing smarter than he has before.

"Those people (who questioned him) have helped him enormously," Fagan said. "'Hodgey' is one of those people who loves proving people wrong."

Hodge has no regrets about pushing his body to the limit last season. After all, he was chasing a companion to his 2008 premiership medal, and damn near got one, too.

"Having the 10 weeks off (last year) was frustrating, and it took a little bit of time to get match fit," he said.

Typically, he offers no excuses, despite a hectic late September and early October that would have broken lesser footballers.

He suffered a sapping virus almost on the eve of the preliminary final against Adelaide, spending the night before the game on a drip.

He lost five kilos in a 24-hour period and told the doctor that morning that he was not fit to play. The decision crushed him, but he doesn't regret it.

"I would have been going on half-rat power, if I had played," he said.

But he was right to go at the start of Grand Final week, even though it was a less than ideal build-up.

"It was a close, ferocious game. We might not have capitalised on our opportunities, but we gave everything it and you can't ask for any more than that," he said.

After the game the great John Kennedy, a three-time premiership coach who would have handed the cup over to Hodge had the Hawks won, told him: "Just go out there and go harder next year."

It's been a recurring theme for him since October, albeit only after he and his wife Lauren celebrated the birth of their second son, Chase, in early October. Their other son, Cooper, is almost five.

Almost immediately after the birth came two operations the PCL reconstruction and surgery on his hand.

Hodge's aim was to be back in Hawthorn colours by Round 4 this year. He beat his goal by two weeks, which surprised everyone including himself.

Having sat in the coaches box for the club's Round 1 loss to Geelong, he played that weekend for Box Hill. Then he took an unexpected call from coach Alastair Clarkson, asking him if he was prepared to play on West Coast's resting ruckmen in the Round 2 clash.

"I wasn't expecting it," Hodge recalled. "He told me they still had match committee, but he wanted me to tell 'Loz' that I might be headed to Perth."

"I didn't want to come back in half-fit, playing average footy because people sort of judge you straight away. I wanted to come back in playing good footy,"

And he has. Going into today's game against Brisbane in Launceston, Hodge is averaging almost 23 touches per game, playing in a number of roles for his team, as part of a revolving Hawthorn midfield that sees each of the players spend time in attack and defence.

Fagan insists Hodge is driving his teammates to keep their minds focused by concentrating on what they can control.

"I have no doubt that 'Hodgey' is driven by the desire to hold the premiership cup with his mates but more importantly he is driven each game to lead a team that is selfless and plays for each other," he said.

Just as Luke Hodge has always done.

HODGEY ON ...

2013

"THE boys do seem a lot fresher at this stage of the year. Last year we were always pushing for the top two and we didn't really lock it in until we beat Sydney in Round 22.

That's probably come from 'Clarko' implementing the rotation of positions a lot more.

"If you go to half-back or half-forward, you are not crashing and bashing as much or covering as much distance as you do in the middle. Hopefully it will make us fresher heading into the finals."

CLARKO'S TENURE

"IF YOU had asked me that question three years ago, I probably would have said no, as far as him being a 15-year coach (of the club), because he just thinks about the game non-stop.

"But he has coached as well as he ever has over the past 18 months.

"In the last couple of years, he has been able to delegate a bit more to the other coaches and he seems much more relaxed.

"He looks fresh and always has new ideas. And he is as eager as ever, which is great for the players.

"How long he goes on probably depends on him not having to do everything and having great staff behind him."

130621 Alastair Clarkson

BUDDY

LUKE Hodge won't hesitate to use the appropriate time to speak with teammate Lance Franklin about the long-term football benefits of staying at Hawthorn.

But the Hawks captain won't pressure Franklin, who will be the subject of an unprecedented multi-year offer from the Giants which could exceed $10 million.

"If I am having a coffee or a beer with him, I will throw it to him, if it is the right situation," Hodge said.

"He (Franklin) is not silly. He knows where we are going as a club. He knows the bonuses of going to GWS and he knows the bonuses of staying here.

"Hopefully, in his mind, the (football) bonuses here outweigh the bonuses there."

Hodge said the Hawthorn players had no issues with Franklin's decision to put off his contract talks with the club.

"We sat down and spoke with him at the start of the year when he said he was going to put it on hold, and we are more than happy for him to do that," Hodge said.

"As players, our expectation of him is to play the team role and he is playing that more than he has for the previous eight years he had been at the footy club.

"While he is contracted at our footy club, all we can ask of him is to do that. And when it comes to the end of the year, he has got a big decision to make."

Lance Franklin

BEING A FATHER TO SONS COOPER, ALMOST FIVE, AND CHASE, EIGHT MONTHS

"I GUESS when you start playing AFL footy, your sole focus is on you, but that changes when you have kids.

"As much as footy remains an important part of your life, 'Clarko' and the club are massive in the belief that if anything happens with your family, it comes first."

THE FACT THAT COOPER'S SECOND FAVOURITE TEAM IS GEELONG

"'COOP' barracks for Hawthorn, but unfortunately his mate at kinder is a Geelong supporter.

"So now he says he barracks for Hawks, but his second team is Geelong.

"He was even angry when Geelong lost to Brisbane last week.

"We have got to change that (laughs)."

THE CATS' HOODOO THAT STRETCHES BACK TO 2009

"IF YOU don't play four quarters against Geelong, you are going to get beaten.

"We know that and we have learnt something every time we have played them.

"That's what happens when you play the top sides.

"'Coops' is tipping a draw next week. Hopefully that won't happen."

HIS HERO AS A KID

"I WAS a massive Richmond supporter and I loved watching 'Richo' (Matthew Richardson).

"I had a photo taken with Richo when I was about 10. Because he was so tall and I was so short and fat, my sister took the pic and ended up cutting the top of his head off.

"I always try to remember what it was like when you were a kid.

"That's why when I am running out at half-time, I always try to high-five the kids on the way back out there.

"And I really enjoy having kids run through the banner with us before the start of the games."