Josh Hodgson credits East Hull for shaping him as a coach ahead of taking NRL role

Josh Hodgson is preparing for his 2025 role at Parramatta Eels - as a coach in their new-look pathways system - and has credited his upbringing and experiences in East Hull.

The Hull-born, 35-year-old has been focusing on coaching since retiring from playing, having been at Hull Kingston Rovers from 2010 to 2014 and having previously played for East Hull at junior level. He had also featured for Hull FC before playing for the Robins. His nephew Jeylan - brother of Bailey, who is on Leigh Leopards' books - recently signed for Goole Vikings after leaving Hull FC academy.

Speaking on James Graham's The Bye Round podcast, Hodgson was asked why he went down the path of coaching and replied: "I've always said I'd love to do it. When I was in England, the highest amateur league was the National Conference League. I helped coach East Hull over there. And I helped coach Skirlaugh after that once East Hull sort of fell away. I always loved it, always wanted to do it, to try to help people with rugby league. And I learned a lot in those couple of years just doing that, when I look back at the drills I did and the some of the ways that I did things. It's a good standard.

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"I love the game. I love trying to figure out the puzzle of who it is this week, how we pick them apart, what the strengths and weaknesses are. I love that stuff. I love being just immersed in it. I love trying to be a sponge off as many coaches as I can."

Hodgson also spoke about the importance of togetherness, saying: "Not letting your mate down is something that we were taught as kids, protect your mates. As I got older at Canberra, it was the same thing, you protect your mates. My junior coach Lee Radford was the same that way, I learned a lot from him. It was a common theme across my rugby career."

Looking back to those days with Radford, he said: "When I was a kid I was pig headed that I was going to play as a half - 'I'm going to be a half, I'm going to be a half'. And Lee Radford said 'you should be a nine, you should be a nine'. And he was right in the end."

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