Luke Hodge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Luke Hodge |
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Hodge playing for the Brisbane Lions in 2018
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| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Luke Hodge | ||
| Nickname(s) | The General | ||
| Date of birth | 15 June 1984 | ||
| Place of birth | Colac, Victoria, Australia | ||
| Original team | Geelong Falcons (TAC Cup) | ||
| Draft | No. 1 (PP), 2001 national draft | ||
| Debut | Round 5, 2002, Hawthorn v. Richmond, at Melbourne Cricket Ground |
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| Position(s) | Midfielder / defender | ||
| Career highlights | |||
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Luke Hodge (born 15 June 1984) is a famous former Australian rules football player. He played for the Hawthorn Football Club and the Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League (AFL). Luke played for Hawthorn from 2002 to 2017. He was the team's captain from 2011 to 2016. In 2018, Hodge moved to the Brisbane Lions and retired in 2019.
Luke started his career playing as a half-back flanker. This means he played in a defensive role on the field. Later in his career, he also played in the midfield, helping to move the ball around. He is known as one of the most respected players in the sport. Many people especially admire his leadership as a captain.
Luke Hodge has achieved many great things in his career. He won four AFL premierships, which means his team won the grand final four times. He was also a premiership captain three times. He won the Norm Smith Medal twice, which is given to the best player in the Grand Final. As of 2023, he has played the most games (346) of any player chosen first in the AFL draft. He is also the only number-one draft pick to win a Norm Smith Medal.
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Early Life and Football Start
Luke Hodge was born in Colac, a town in Victoria. When he was a kid, he supported the Richmond team. His favorite player was Matthew Richardson.
Luke started his football journey with the Geelong Falcons Under 18 team. He was a very talented young player. In 2001, he was chosen as the very first pick in the 2001 AFL Draft. This meant the Hawthorn Football Club picked him before any other player in that year's draft.
AFL Career Highlights
Playing for Hawthorn (2002–2017)
Luke Hodge made his debut in 2002. He quickly became an important player for Hawthorn. He was known for his strong skills and smart decisions on the field. In 2005, he was named in the All-Australian team. This team is made up of the best players from across the league. He also played for Australia in the International Rules series.
In 2007, Luke became the sole vice-captain of the Hawthorn Football Club. This showed how much his team trusted his leadership. He was again named in the All-Australian team in 2008.
One of his biggest achievements came in the 2008 AFL Grand Final. Luke won the Norm Smith Medal for being the best player in that game. Hawthorn won the premiership that year, which was a huge success.
Luke became the captain of Hawthorn in 2011. He took over from Sam Mitchell. As captain, he led his team to even more success.
In 2012, Luke had a tough year with injuries. He played only eight games. Despite this, he led his team in the 2012 AFL Grand Final.
Luke bounced back strongly in 2013. He played most of the season and led Hawthorn to another Grand Final victory. This was his second premiership and his first as captain.
The Hawks continued their winning streak in 2014. Luke played his 250th career game in the Grand Final. Hawthorn defeated the Sydney Swans to win their 12th premiership. In this game, Luke made history by winning his second Norm Smith Medal. He became only the third player ever to achieve this. He also captained the team to his third premiership, and his second as captain.
Hawthorn won their third premiership in a row in 2015. Luke was a key part of this amazing achievement. Because of his strong performances in finals, especially during these three premierships, he earned the nickname "Mister September." This is because the AFL finals usually happen in September.
In July 2017, Luke announced that he would retire from Hawthorn at the end of the season. His last game for Hawthorn was a win against the Western Bulldogs.
Moving to Brisbane Lions (2018–2019)
After retiring from Hawthorn, Luke Hodge decided to play for the Brisbane Lions in 2018. This was a surprise move, but he wanted to help a younger team grow. He was officially traded to Brisbane in October 2017.
Luke had a great 2018 season with the Lions. He played 19 games and showed excellent leadership. He helped guide the younger players on the team. Everyone at the club praised his impact both on and off the field. Because of his success, he decided to play on for one more year in 2019 before retiring for good.
Honours and Achievements
Team Awards
- 4× AFL premiership player (Hawthorn): 2008, 2013, 2014, 2015
- 2× Minor premiership (Hawthorn): 2012, 2013
- TAC Cup Premiership (Geelong Falcons): 2000
Individual Awards
- 3× AFL premiership captain: 2013, 2014, 2015
- 2× Norm Smith Medal: 2008, 2014
- 3× All-Australian team: 2005, 2008, 2010
- All-Australian team captain: 2010
- Hawthorn captain: 2011–2016
- 2× Peter Crimmins Medal: 2005, 2010 (This award is for the best and fairest player at Hawthorn)
- AFLPA Best Captain Award: 2014
- AFLPA Madden Medal: 2019
- Hawthorn best clubman: 2013
- Hawthorn most consistent player: 2017
- 3× Australian international rules football team: 2005, 2014, 2015
- Jim Stynes medal: 2014
- AFL Rising Star nominee: 2002
- Ron Barassi Medal (MVP in U18 IR Series): 2001
- Hawthorn life member
Personal Life
Luke Hodge married his high school girlfriend, Lauren Kirkman, in 2009. They have four sons named Cooper, Chase, Leo, and Tanner.
He is often called 'The General' because of his strong leadership skills. This nickname was also the title of his autobiography, which came out in 2017.
In February 2020, Luke played in a special charity cricket match called the Bushfire Cricket Bash. This game helped raise money for people affected by bushfires. He showed off his cricket skills, scoring runs and even taking a wicket!
Media Career
After retiring from playing football, Luke Hodge started a career in the media. He often appears on a radio station in Melbourne during the football season.
In 2011, he was a contestant on a TV show called Australia's Greatest Athlete. Since 2016, he has also worked as a special comments commentator for Channel Seven's football coverage. From 2020, he joined their Friday night commentary team full-time.
