Super League boss taking learnings from rugby union

Brett Hodgson is planning to take tips from fellow Australian Eddie Jones and England’s top soccer clubs into his new coaching role with Hull. The Wests Tigers assistant coach Hodgson will leave Australia in early December to take up a three-year contract with the English Super League club.

It will be Hodgson’s first job as a head coach but he cut his teeth as an assistant, not just at West Tigers but also initially in Super League with Widnes.

The 42-year-old has also continued his education by delving into working practices in other sports.

The Pumas have something special planned to honour Maradonna:

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“As part of the off-season I like to do some personal development stuff,” Hodgson said. “I always try to keep learning.

“One year I did some stuff with (head coach) Eddie Jones and the English rugby union camp and I also went to Clermont Auvergne in the French rugby union.

“The following year, I went and spent a day with Manchester City, Manchester United and then Everton football clubs.

“I definitely feel there is an element of learning that you can do around culture and the way, in particular, football clubs get the best out of their players where there are so many different languages, cultures and scenarios.

“You might only take one or two per cent of the information away from such big organisations but anything you can learn from it is always going to be beneficial.”

Hodgson, who carried out some consultancy work with Hull before returning to Australia, revealed he turned down a chance to go full-time with the club two years ago and says he was lured back to Super League by the attractiveness of the competition.

“Before coming back to Australia, when I signed with Wests Tigers, I actually got a call to see if I would come back and work for Hull,” he said. “It was with a heavy heart that I left at that time.

“I’m a proud British citizen as well and I love the way rugby is played in Super League. It’s more free-flowing and definitely a style I enjoy and would like to coach to.”

Hodgson says the chance to be closer to his family was another factor behind his decision.

“My wife and children are still in the south of France and my children are really enjoying school there,” he said.

“It’s going to be good being back in the same time zone and seeing them when they can get to come up to Hull.”