rd wrote:I have to agree with Wedgie here (amazing!) Hodges - although he never consistently fired at AFL level was too good a player to not be ignored by the opposition and he was the perfect decoy/foil with Modra in many games that season. Modra was in freakish form yet Hodges had to be allocated a quality defender as well and as Wedgie correctly states - Hodges kept out of the way and allowed Modra plenty of room to do his thing. Hodges didnt resume after half time and consequently Ess were able to smother Modra - Crows had no other reliable fwd options and Essendon's Baby Bombers (Hird,Misiti etc..) guided by Watson got them up and running and with a 70,000 crowd behind them they were unstoppable in the last half. Jarman's miss was crucial but Hodges's benching was a mistake. Probably Cornes's worst tactical decision in his time as Crows coach - but over his 4 years in charge he generally got things right.
It was quarter time
With him off the field we struggled along to 13 scoring shots to 3 in the second quarter

Hodges and Modra rarely worked well together as FF, FP. Hodges was in the side to replicate the role that Stuart Wigney played in the elim final - a bigger forward staying back as the alternative to the leading Modra. But Hodges played FF the same way as Mods and most times just got in each other's way.
No criticism of Scotty, he is one of my favourite players of all time and he was unlucky not to play more AFL. But Mods kicked 129 goals that year and might have played alongside the Hodges decoy twice? He didn't need Hodges in a pocket to have an impact that season.
The "Hodges move lost us the Prelim final" thing is an urban legend.
In fact, I think Bomber fans would be insulted to be told that their superb 2nd half come-back was nothing to do with their team or Sheeds, but all because of 1 simple move Cornes made at 1/4 time ...!
Relive the pain ....

..... it barely even got down our end it wouldn't have mattered if it was Wayne Carey alongside Mods.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEZfwNH1N4I&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEZfwNH1N4I&feature=related