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Beware a wounded Lion, especially when his name is Luke Hodge.
The Brisbane veteran will be invaluable for his young teammates on Saturday night in the AFL semi-final against GWS at the Gabba.
Lose, and it’s a straight-sets exit – an anti-climactic end to a barnstorming Brisbane season.
The Lions will need Hodge’s leadership and renowned hardness as the Giants undoubtedly try to rough them up in the same way that GWS mauled the Western Bulldogs last weekend.
But there’s an added element in this for Hodge – he’s been here before.
And after a terrible start, September, 2015 became one of the highlights of his storied 345-game career.
Ahead of his most recent finals series four years ago, Hodge was in the dog house and he called himself an idiot.
Then the Hawthorn captain, he’d been caught drink driving after a couple of beers at a function.
The Hawks fined him $5000, but his value to the side, plus Hodge’s reputation and remorse, meant there was no suspension.
Hodge then had a quiet first half against West Coast as the Hawks lost the Subiaco qualifying final.
Any current Lions teammates, especially those who struggled last Saturday night in the qualifying final loss to Richmond, should note what Hodge did next.
He kicked the first goal in the resounding semi-final win over Adelaide.
Hodge finished with four goals and was best afield.
“It’s fair to say my last three weeks, I haven’t read too many papers or watched too many TV shows,” Hodge said after the Adelaide win.
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