Englishman Josh Hodgson has revealed he denied an offer from the Sydney Roosters just 12 months before signing with Canberra following his move to Australia in 2015.
The Super League headliner has boasted a stellar career with the NRL, evolving into one of the most dominant hookers in the game despite a sizeable sideline stint with an ACL injury.
Having recently re-signed with the Green Machine until 2022, the childhood footy-fan is set to live out his career in Australia.
“I always used to watch the comp growing up and I was rugby league mad so any game I could watch I’d sit down and watch it,” Hodgson said.
“Your career is so short, it was just one of my things that I knew I’d regret if I retired and didn’t at least try to come over."
Hodgson recently told Sunday Night with Matty Johns that his career with the NRL could have started a year sooner, after six solid seasons in the Super League.
“I nearly came over the year before with the Roosters, but it just wasn’t meant to be,” he said.
“They had Jake Friend who’s such a great player, he had a great game (against the Sea Eagles on Sunday).
“If I came to the Roosters I was going to play more NSW Cup than anything.
“In my eyes I’d worked so hard to get a starting spot at Hull KR, so I’d find it hard to come here and not really play, so I said no to that.
“The next year I got offered a starting spot at the Raiders and everything else panned out from there.”