Justin Hodges facts for kids
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Personal information
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| Full name | Justin Hodges | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 25 May 1982 Cairns, Queensland, Australia |
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Playing information
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| Height | 188 cm (6 ft 2 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 101 kg (15 st 13 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Centre, Fullback | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Justin Hodges (born May 25, 1982) is a famous Australian athlete. He used to be a professional rugby league footballer and is now a professional boxer. He played for the Queensland State of Origin team and the Australian national team.
Hodges started his rugby league career with the Brisbane Broncos. He then moved to the Sydney Roosters and helped them win the 2002 NRL Premiership. Later, he returned to the Broncos in 2005 and won another championship, the 2006 NRL Premiership. He also became the captain of the Broncos team.
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Early Life and Junior Rugby
Justin Hodges was born in Cairns, Queensland on May 25, 1982. He grew up in Cairns and played junior rugby league there. He was part of the Cairns Kangaroos Juniors, winning championships at different age levels. By 1998, when he was 16, he was signed by the Brisbane Broncos.
Rugby League Career Highlights
Justin Hodges had a long and successful career in the National Rugby League (NRL). He was known for his speed, skill, and strong defense. He played in key positions like centre and fullback.
Early Years (2000-2004)
Hodges made his NRL debut for the Brisbane Broncos in 2000. He played well, even saving tries in his first few games. In 2001, he moved to the Sydney Roosters. With the Roosters, he quickly became a key player. In 2002, he helped the team win the 2002 NRL Grand Final, beating the New Zealand Warriors.
During this time, Hodges also started playing for Queensland in the tough State of Origin series. He also played in the 2003 World Club Challenge where the Roosters beat St Helens R.F.C. from England. He faced some challenges, including a serious knee injury in 2003. In 2004, he played in another Grand Final with the Roosters, but they lost to the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.
Return to the Broncos (2005-2015)
In 2005, Justin Hodges returned to the Brisbane Broncos. Some people wondered if he would fit back in, but he quickly proved himself. He helped the Broncos win the 2006 NRL Grand Final against the Melbourne Storm. This was his second NRL premiership.
After this, Hodges also played for the Australian national team, the Kangaroos. He played in the 2006 Rugby League Tri-Nations tournament, helping Australia win. He continued to be a top player for Queensland and Australia, often scoring important tries.
He faced more injuries, including a ruptured Achilles tendon in 2010, which made him miss a whole season. But he always worked hard to come back stronger. In 2012, he played for the Indigenous All Stars team.
In 2014, Hodges was named co-captain of the Broncos. The next year, in 2015, he became the solo captain. He announced that 2015 would be his last year playing representative rugby league. In his final 2015 State of Origin series game, he scored the last points for Queensland in a big win.
Justin Hodges played his 250th NRL match in 2015. He reached the 2015 NRL Grand Final with the Broncos, captaining the team in a very close game against the North Queensland Cowboys. Although they lost in extra time, it was a memorable end to his rugby league career. He and Cowboys captain Johnathan Thurston were the first two Indigenous players to captain a Grand Final team.
Career Statistics
| Year | Team | Games | Tries | Goals | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 |  Brisbane Broncos |
5 | 2 | 8 | |
| 2001 | 12 | 4 | 16 | ||
| 2002 |  Sydney Roosters |
26 | 11 | 44 | |
| 2003 | 11 | 8 | 32 | ||
| 2004 | 21 | 7 | 28 | ||
| 2005 | Brisbane Broncos |
19 | 11 | 44 | |
| 2006 | 20 | 10 | 1 | 42 | |
| 2007 | 19 | 12 | 48 | ||
| 2008 | 14 | 7 | 28 | ||
| 2009 | 18 | 3 | 12 | ||
| 2011 | 17 | 8 | 32 | ||
| 2012 | 18 | 5 | 20 | ||
| 2013 | 14 | 6 | 24 | ||
| 2014 | 17 | 2 | 8 | ||
| 2015 | 20 | 3 | 12 | ||
| Totals | 251 | 99 | 1 | 398 |
Boxing Career
After retiring from rugby league, Justin Hodges started a new career in professional boxing.
He had his first boxing match on February 9, 2019. He won that fight very quickly, knocking out his opponent in just 75 seconds. In his second fight, he also won by knockout in less than 20 seconds.
In his third fight, Hodges faced another rugby league player, Darcy Lussick. In this match, Hodges was knocked out in the first round. He continues to pursue his boxing career.
