Transformation of Justin Hodges

Justin Hodges has proved a revelation for the Brisbane Broncos in 2006. This season has seen Hodges go from strength to strength and he has consistently been amongst the Broncos best performers.

Hodges stunning club form in the centres earned him representative honours and a prestigious Maroon jersey. The Queensland State of Origin selection had further significance for Hodges. The selection provided him with a long-awaited opportunity to make amends for an infamous 2002 Origin debut. On that forgettable night an inexperienced and overwhelmed Hodges threw two terrible in-goal passes that led directly to NSW tries. State of Origin 2006 provided Justin Hodges with a chance for redemption.

It was an opportunity Hodges certainly didn’t fail to grasp, as he played with confidence and newfound self-belief, but without the cockiness he was once renowned for. Leading from the front Hodges was a key component in Queensland’s Game Two demolition and although injury cruelly robbed him of Game Three selection, he certainly contributed to Queensland’s series success.

Post-Origin Hodges has proved a shining light in a struggling team. Alongside inspirational skipper Darren Lockyer, Hodges has helped put an end to another possible late-season slump, which have plagued the Broncos in recent seasons.

In the Broncos past two matches against ladder-leaders the Melbourne Storm and the second placed Canterbury Bulldogs Hodges was moved to fullback in the absence of Karmichael Hunt. The move proved a masterstroke from Coach Wayne Bennett as Hodges has revelled in the position.

Fullback provides additional space and time and Hodges has proved a handful for defenders, repeatedly using his step and strength to break the line and create attacking opportunities. Hodges has amassed an amazing 542 metres from fullback in just two games. A particular instance in which Hodges casually ran back and nonchalantly caught a deep Bulldogs kick with just one hand proved he is indeed a rare talent.

The move from the centres to fullback has provided Bennett with a selection headache over the coming weeks. In this weekend’s crucial Eels contest Hodges keeps the number 1 on his back, with Hunt returning to the side on the wing. If Hodges performs well again this weekend Bennett has the option of moving Lockyer to first receiver and Hunt into second-receiver. This would leave Hodges at fullback and allow Lockyer to dominate from halfback, whilst providing Hunt with a roving type role at five-eighth. It will be interesting to see if Bennett adopts this sort of structure or decides to shift Hodges back into the centres, paving the way for a return to fullback for Hunt.

This week Broncos captain Darren Lockyer has spoken of Justin Hodges importance to the Broncos premiership aspirations. Interestingly Lockyer spoke as highly of Hodges’ leadership skills as his on-field achievements. The current Queensland and Australian captain revealed Hodges has matured as player and has developed into a future leader and pleasure to play alongside. Hodges is now talking more on the field and offering encouragement to team-mates. He is very team orientated and his competitive instinct rubs off on fellow Broncos, evident in the Bulldogs 30-nil drubbing.

This week the Broncos meet an in-form Eels side who despite lacking in size will certainly be a huge hurdle for the Broncos to overcome. The Eels are chasing their tenth successive victory and are riding a wave of confidence. Nevertheless, they will face a resurgent Broncos outfit attempting to assure a top-four finish and a home semi-final.

Hayden Returns to ODI Fold

Matthew Hayden is set to make a long-awaited return to the Australian one-day side following over a year of absence. Hayden was a casualty of the England tour early last year, but set about mounting a convincing case for re-selection playing for Queensland. A memorable domestic one-day match against NSW last year revealed Hayden still had plenty to offer in the shortened form of the game. Hayden bludgeoned the NSW bowling attack comprising Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee, Nathan Bracken and Stuart MacGill to all corners of the ground. Hayden treated the bowlers with disdain and was especially harsh on McGrath dispatching him for a brutal six over long-on. Hayden cruised to 83 off just 69 deliveries and revealed to the doubters that an ODI return was imminent. Hayden was this week granted that return for the short tour of Malaysia. The resting of Adam Gilchrist and inclusion of Simon Katich, Mark Cosgrove and Phil Jaques ensures the work is far from done for Hayden as the quartet fight for the opening spot alongside Gilchrist.

Ivanovic Demolition of Hingis

Ana Ivanovic last night cruised to a comfortable 6-2, 6-3 victory over Martina Hingis in the Rogers Cup final in Canada. Playing in just her second career final Ivanovic was ruthless in disposing of the former world number one and comeback queen Hingis in under an hour. The win took Ivanovic's finals record to 2-0 and consolidated her rankings position in the top 20. However, the title has added importance as it was Ivanovic's first Tier-1 tournament win. Tier-1 tournaments are only bettered in importance by the four grand-slams. The win will give Ivanovic plenty of confidence heading into the year's last Grand Slam, the US-Open which will begin August 28.

Darrell Hair - Wrongly Under Fire?

The fallout from the Pakistan ball tampering allegations have continued overnight as former cricketers have weighed into the controversy. Pakistani cricketing hero Imran Khan has come out claiming Australian umpire Darrell Hair should have to back up his allegations with proof or be sacked from the international umpiring panel. Khan backed up his earlier claims that Hair transforms into a 'mini-Hitler' when he strides onto the field, using his position of power to exert his influence on the match. Australian great Steve Waugh yesterday offered support for Hair claiming that he would have made the decision fully aware of the ramifications. Waugh also backed up the umpire's decision to end the match. He claimed that no player is above the law and Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq was wrong in not returning to the field. There are other avenues for protest and deciding not to return to the field was an error in judgement and one that cost Pakistan the Test Match. Retired umpire David Shepherd and fellow Australian umpire Simon Taufel also voiced their support for Hair. The former claiming Hair umpired by the book and should stand by his decision and the latter saying the decisions were a joint effort by Hair and umpire Billly Doctrove.

Tiger Success Again

Tiger Woods shot an 18-under 270 to add another major trophy to his fast-growing collection, winning the US PGA Championship for the third time yesterday. The win takes his major tally to twelve and Woods now only trails golfing great Jack Nicklaus on the all-time list. Wood's last round 68 kept his faultless record when leading after the third round to 12-0. Australian Geoff Ogilvy was nicely placed at three shots off the pace going into the fourth round but faded badly to just scrape into a top-ten finish. Fellow Australian provided some excitement racing up the leaderboard to finish in a tie for third, his best major result. However, it was all Wood's who never looked challenged, dominating the field in a memorable five shot win.

Test Cricket Controversy

Pakistan was last night accused of ball tampering in what became one of the most controversial Test Matches in recent memory. West Indian umpire Billy Doctrove and experienced Australian umpire Darrell Hair chose to change the ball following supposed ball tampering. The ball was changed in the 56th over of England's second innings on the fourth day. The umpires decided to add five runs to the English total in an unprecedented decision. Pakistan responded to the ball tampering allegations by refusing to play on after the tea interval. The umpires provided no prior warning to Pakistan of their wrongdoing and no footage has yet been discovered that suggests there was ball tampering. Though an agreement was later reached for the teams to resume, the umpires had already decided to declare England the winner by reason of Pakistan forfeit. Pakistan has come out furiously denying any wrongdoing and it will be interesting to see how the controversy plays out around the world.

Marat Safin in Car Crash

Marat Safin's season took another turn for the worse after being involved in a minor car-park car crash. Safin was hit in the face by the airbag which burst open on contact and caused bruising, stiffness and prompted dizziness. After already being bundled out of the singles draw Safin decided not to pull out of the doubles and put on a brave face in a loss alongside Russian compatriot Mikhail Youzhny. Safin also revealed he has parted with coach Peter Lundgren. The two have decided to part ways for the American hard court season and get together following the US Open to re-evaluate their professional relationship. Safin has once again had an inconsistent season with injuries plaguing his chances to build form and mount a challenge for a grand-slam and progress up the rankings.

Tuqiri Spear Tackle

The Wallabies surrendered a half time advantage to lose against the All Blacks in New Zealand 34-27 on Saturday night. The loss extended the Kiwi dominance at home and Australia's abysmal record away from home and ended the slim Aussie homes for winning the Tri-Nations title. A talking point arising from the match was Lote Tuqiri's spear tackle on Richie McCaw which left the Kiwi captain fearing for his health. He recovered but Tuqiri was cited after the match and awaits a possible suspension. Was Tuqiri at fault for the tackle and should he do time on the sidelines?

Broncos Defeat Bulldogs

The Broncos finally managed to put together an eighty minute performance on Friday night against the Bulldogs. The Broncos forwards led the way and won the battle up front in a bruising match. This laid the platform for the Broncos playmakers to pile on the points and led by man-of-the-match and captain Lockyer they certainly did. The Broncos ran out 30-0 victors and put to bed claims they were in a slump. Once again Bennett proved the doubters wrong. The Broncos have jumped into the top four and back into premiership contention. With the in-form eels and warriors to come in the final two rounds of competition they will have to continue their recent form resurgence as they mount a challenge for the 2006 title. Do you think the Broncos can win the title and who is their biggest threat?