Hodges' unhappy homecoming
by Chris Cox
Sunday February 20, 2005

The Brisbane Broncos have started season 2005 in less than impressive fashion, losing 24-10 to a strong Melbournes Storm outfit at Gold Coast Stadium, but it was the utter disaster of Justin Hodges' return to the club that started his career that has fans concerned about their side's prospects for the season.

Hodges, shifted to fullback to allow Karmichael Hunt to fill in at five-eighth, where he is expected to deputise for skipper Darren Lockyer at Origin time, revived memories of the second State of Origin match in 2002 when he fumbled a kick in goal to gift Storm winger Steven Turner with a try in the first half.

Hodges continued to play lethargically at the back and left many of the 16000 fans at the stadium questioning coach Wayne Bennett's wisdom in bringing the Cairns product back into the fold.

However, it was not all doom and gloom for the Broncos, with boom forward Sam Thaiday playing strongly and 18-year-old wing sensation Leon Bott showing why he is one of the most exciting prospects the club has seen with a blistering 90-metre solo try.

In the end the more experienced and more fluent Melbourne side dominated, scoring 4 unanswered tries after trailing 10-6 going into half time.

The Broncos play their second trial, against Canberra, at Stadium Toowoomba next Saturday where they will welcome back Darren Lockyer, Tonie Carroll, Shane Webcke, Stu Kelly and Shaun Berrigan, who were absent for tonight's clash.