Martin Hodgson

Martin Hodgson
Personal information
Born 26 March 1909
Egremont, Cumberland, England, UK
Died 1991
Playing information
Position Second-row

Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1927–?? Swinton
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
Cumberland
1928–37 England 9 0 10 0 20
1929–37 Great Britain 16 0 8 0 16

Martin Hodgson (26 March 1909 – 1991)[1] was an English rugby league footballer who played in the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. He was, without doubt, one of the game's greatest ever second-row forwards and represented Great Britain, England and Cumberland on many occasions, and also toured Australasia in 1932 and 1936 with the Great Britain tourists.

Born in Egremont, Cumberland, Hodgson signed for Swinton in January 1927 aged 17. He became a goal-kicking second-row forward. Swinton reached the final of the 1927 Lancashire Cup and Hodgson played in their victory over Wigan in the final. During the 1929–30 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain Hodgson played at second-row forward in the 2nd and 3rd Ashes series Test matches.

During the 1933–34 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain Hodgson played at second-row forward in all three Ashes series Test matches. In April 1940 at a match for Swinton against Rochdale Hornets at the Athletic Grounds, Rochdale, Hodgson set the long distance penalty goal record with a kick of 77.75 yards (71.09 m) in (This record is disputed. Arthur Atkinson of Castleford kicked a penalty goal from 75-yards in the 20-10 victory over St. Helens at Knowsley Road, St. Helens on Saturday 26 October 1929). Swinton reached the final of the 1940 Lancashire Cup and Hodgson played in their victory over Widnes in the final.

Martin Hodgson is the only British forward to appear in five Ashes-winning squads, between 1929 and 1937.[2] He won caps for England while at Swinton in 1928 against Wales, in 1929 against Other Nationalities, in 1932 against Wales, in 1935 against France, in 1936 against Wales (2 matches), France, in 1937 against France,[3] and won caps for Great Britain while at Swinton in 1929-30 against Australia (2 matches), in 1932 against Australia (3 matches), New Zealand (3 matches), in 1933 against Australia (3 matches), in 1936 against Australia (3 matches), New Zealand, and in 1937 against Australia.[4]

In 2005 Hodgson was inducted into the British Rugby League Hall of Fame.[5]

References

  1. ↑ Bulls quick to trade Higham for Newton, Gareth Walker, The Guardian, Friday 21 October 2005
  2. ↑ Morgan, Martin (17 October 2005). "Hall of Fame honour for league legends". The Cumberland News. Retrieved 23 October 2011.
  3. ↑ "England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  4. ↑ "Great Britain Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  5. ↑ Martin Hodgson at therfl.co.uk
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