The return of Josh Hodgson can’t come soon enough for Canberra.
But Raiders coach Ricky Stuart has warned the England international not to try to make up for lost time in his NRL injury comeback against Wests Tigers on Sunday.
Hodgson will play his first game since suffering a serious knee injury at the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.
Stuart said he had “no hesitation” naming the recovering hooker in the starting side for the Tigers clash as 10th-placed Canberra (5-8 record) try to stay in the finals hunt.
However the Canberra mentor was wary of Hodgson trying to do too much, too soon in his long awaited return.
“It’s important Josh doesn’t want to play his first 15 rounds in the first 20 minutes. It’s something we have spoken about,” Stuart said.
“We don’t want him to be the difference. We want Josh to be Josh.
“Just having his presence there will help the team.”
Stuart said the silver lining to the injury cloud over Hodgson was Siliva Havili.
The Tongan international has impressed so much filling in at hooker for Hodgson for their first 13 games, Stuart kept Havili in his 17 as a bench utility upon the Englishman’s injury return against the Tigers.
“We have really missed Josh. We have missed his directional play and leadership. He is a great help to (Raiders skipper) Jarrod (Croker),” Stuart said.
“But we have unearthed a very good Raiders player in Havili. That was the positive.
“Havili has been a wonderful find. We are a better team having both those players (Hodgson, Havili) in our 17.”
Havili is poised to sign a two-year extension after stepping up at No.9 in Hodgson’s absence.
It caps a remarkable turnaround for him after contemplating a new career as a podiatrist just last year.
He feared his NRL days were over after stints with the Warriors (2014-15) and St George Illawarra (2016-17) but caught Canberra’s eye with a standout World Cup display for semi-finalists Tonga.
“(Hodgson’s injury) knocked us around but I believe the team has handled it well which is a credit to Havili filling in that position,” Stuart said.
“We are a tough bunch of blokes who can handle adversity. We just have to turn it around now on the field.”
