Beats getting a real job.
When Luke Hodge packed up his locker at Hawthorn’s Waverley Park headquarters for the last time in 2017 his mind had to start thinking about life outside footy.
The search for a life off the field got put on hold however when Brisbane coach Chris Fagan lured him out of retirement weeks later.
Two years on and the 35-year-old is preparing to strap on his boots for another AFL finals campaign in what will be the culmination of his successful two seasons with Brisbane.
“I thought about probably putting on a suit. Going to work,” Hodge said about what was going through his mind during his brief retirement.
“That feels a long time ago.
“As much as I loved every minute at Hawthorn this has been a new chapter for our family and really glad we made the decision to go on for another couple of years.
“We’ve really enjoyed it up here and enjoyed what we’ve been able to help build at the Lions.”
Hodge is a four-time premiership playe and Fagan will once again be drawing on the veteran’s enormous experience and cool head as the Lions head into their first finals campaign in more than a decade.
First up is Richmond in a qualifying final at the Gabba on Saturday week, a team which beat the Lions by 27 points at a packed MCG last weekend.
Despite some suggestion he could play on in 2020, the reality is this finals campaign looks the last chapter in Hodge’s playing career and it’s one he doesn’t want ending too quickly.
He’s also confident the Lions, who soared from five wins apiece in the past two seasons to finishing second on the ladder this year, have the necessary talent to go deep into September.
“Footy is a funny one where you make it as hard as you want,” Hodge said.
“If you simplify things, just do the easy things, finals seem to be a bit easier. You see a lot of people who struggle in big games because they overthink it.
“That’s what I’ve noticed here with a lot of the guys.
“In big situations we’ve learnt that you don’t need to get flustered. Just keep doing the same things, be reliable to your teammate and that’s what has held us in good stead in those close games and hopefully the next few coming up.”
