In Profile With Jordie Hedges
In Profile With Jordie Hedges
London Broncos Assistant Coach Jordie Hedges was born in Sydney, Australia in 1995 and is in his first season at the club.
Born into a Rugby League mad family his dad played in the NRL in the 90s with South Sydney Rabbitohs so his childhood was spent watching from the stands. Although initially Jordie played football as a kid he soon began to play a lot more League “to be like dad”.
Growing up with a father playing in the NRL and his grandad involved with the Sydney Roosters brought an extra pressure, not necessarily from his father, but from people around him who expected him to follow in their footpaths. However, leaning on their experiences would prove to be invaluable in later life.
“At around 7 or 8 I was playing for my first Rugby League team and from there it blossomed really. My Grandad used to work with the Roosters and I was a ball boy as a kid so every week was “footie” whether I was watching or playing.
“At 15 I was lucky enough to sign my first professional contract with the Parramatta Eels and I climbed the grades through there.”
“I remember being 15 or 16 at the time and playing in a Grand Final, I was playing full back at the time, and I scored a 90 metre try and from there it began to fall into place. The first agents started getting in touch so it was around 15 that I thought I could give it (a career in Rugby League) a go.”
The competition to play professional Rugby League in Australia was a hugely challenging one, “there was always someone who was “bigger, faster, stronger”, no matter how good you thought you were there was always someone there with the same attributes so you were always in competition.”
Coming through that crop of talent was no mean feat with the likes of South Sydney Rabbitohs winger Alex Johnston progressing through at the same time.
After progressing through at Parramatta, Hedges then made the move over to the Sydney Roosters aged 20 in an attempt to improve his chances of playing first grade rugby. In the under 20s competition in Australia it is one of the final steps into NRL but it's a step up that few manage to make. After two years at the Roosters it was then a move to the Rabbitohs.
“It was pretty cool training with Greg Inglis, the Burgess brothers, Luke Cleary etc and then I was lucky enough to get a run training with the first team. That was probably the only real opportunity I got before I decided to make the move over to England.”
After becoming frustrated with a lack of opportunities back in Australia it was at this point that the attraction of moving over to England became too strong to turn down. With a number of clubs interested in his services, Jordie made the bold move to move to the country before securing a contract in writing.
“I had started to lose a little bit of love for the game because I’d been training a lot as a kid and I thought maybe going overseas would spark my love for the game again.
“I originally had spoken to Batley but they wanted me to move half way through the season and I just couldn’t do that and then at the end of the season I spoke to Bradford but nothing came of it but then a couple of weeks later Carl Hall called me and I was at Doncaster.
“Carl had spoken to Robbie Paul, who was at Bradford at the time, and had recommended me and I ended up spending 5 seasons there and I absolutely loved it.
The move from Sydney to Doncaster took some adjusting with the climate and size of the town proving somewhat of a culture shock but meeting his partner and the support network at the club meant England became a home from home.
Unfortunately for Jordie his 5 years at Doncaster were riddled with some devastating knee injuries, which ultimately ended his playing career, combined with the COVID pandemic providing another colossal obstacle.
“They were really good with me in terms of the 3 years I spent on the sidelines. I had some good mates in the team who helped with the off-field stuff, it was such a tight knit club - I can’t say a bad word about the club.
“I tore my MCL and was out for a couple of months, I then came back but then my ACL went. I had that operation and I was out for the full 12 months but then COVID hit. We were in a part-time environment so we couldn’t go in for treatment so I was having to do it at home and that was really challenging. I was having to google exercises because I was trying to go the extra mile!
“I got a few training sessions into my return and then my ACL went again and that was another year out injured. After 3 ACL injuries the doctors told me he would operate but my knee would be bone on bone and at 25 years old, I had just had my little girl as well, I was already struggling to get around. I was back in Australia and it was at that point I made the decision to retire.”
Despite the heartbreaking decision to stop playing, at this point, Jordie hadn’t given much thought about what the plan would be post playing but it was a call from a now former Broncos coach which carved open the pathway on which he is currently undertaking.
‘I was going to take a full 12 months away from rugby but about 2 days after I retired a certain Rhys Lovegrove gave me a call and asked me if I fancied coaching…
“Initially I said it wasn’t for me but a few days later after speaking to my partner I decided to call Lovey back and then I joined Keighley to start coaching.
“I’ve come across a lot of coaches in my time but I don’t think I’ve come across someone as thorough on the skill development side of things as him. It was a real eye opener watching his sessions. We went through League One undefeated - I learnt a lot!
“After finishing my contract at Keighley there were a few words exchanged between Mike (Eccles) and Lovey and now I’m here…and I’m loving it.”
Jordie is sponsored by Wireless IT Support for 2024.
