Hawthorn legend Luke Hodge doesn’t think the AFL should be giving out rings to clubs and players that win premierships.
Hodge’s take came after Channel Nine’s Tom Morris revealed that the AFL was considering proposals and pitches from four jewellers in somewhat of a copycat move of the NBA and NFL with players on title-winning teams all given extravagant championship rings.
In the proposal, every player on the list would receive a ring as just the 23 that play on the day plus the coach receive an official premiership medal.
Hodge is against the move as he simply doesn’t think that the AFL has to copy America.
He also revealed that he was given a far-less extravagant ring from Hawthorn following the 2008 premiership, one that he and his teammates don’t wear often.
“We are not America. We don't have to be America,”
“Yes, the NFL does it, yes, the NBA does it (but we don’t have to).
“In 2008, we got given a ring from Hawthorn, but it wasn’t quite to the status of what NBA players get. Clearly, it wasn’t a $20,000 or $50,000 ring.
“It sits in the top draw at home, I don't think I've seen any of the players wear it. It is a gold ring with a picture of a hawk on it.”
Given that the rings could be worth over $50,000, Hodge thinks that it would be a waste of money to copy American tradition and instead spoke on little tributes that clubs do already when it comes to honouring premiership players.
“But what we do hold tight is that after 2013 and ’14, the club are allowed to put in $2000 as a gift and the players put in the rest of the money – we got watches,” Hodge said.
“The 22 players that played in 2013 and 2014 have got a watch for a year and I know that we go to reunions, and we wear the watches as a little bit of a memory of what we were able to achieve together.
“We don't need to go and buy a $50,000 ring. We don't need to do that. We're not America. We don't need to live like the Americans.”
While Hodge also acknowledges that it takes a squad to win a premiership, he thinks that medals and gifts should be only handed out to those who play on the day plus the coach, keeping with tradition.
“Let's just stick to what we've been doing. Do we give everyone on the list a ring or a watch or gift?” Hodge asked.
“I'm a big believer in the tradition of our game and it is harsh, but the 22 guys or 23 now that play on game day and the coach get it because that's what we've done for so many years.
“I think the history of our game is we continue to do that.
“I can understand the argument for everyone. That it is a squad that wins premierships.
“It's just been a tradition of ours and I'm strong on keeping that.”
Morris’ report suggested that every player who played a senior game during a premiership-winning season would receive a ring under the proposal.
