EXCLUSIVE

REHEARSALS for NITV’s new NRL show, League Nation Live have yet to kick off, but new co-host Justin Hodges can promise one thing from the get go — they won’t be dressing up in drag like their bigger brand rivals.

The former Brisbane Broncos and Queensland Origin star will join an impressive line-up of indigenous presenters who will attempt the highwire act of live television with their unique 90-minute league analysis show — set to run across 32 weeks of the 2016 season next year.

While Paul ‘Fatty’ Vautin and his cohorts over on Nine have resorted to wearing womens’ clothing in the past to liven things up, Hodges reckons that won’t be necessary on their colourful weekly show.

“I don’t think we have to go down that path. They got us dressed nice and schmick,” he laughed, while on holiday in Fiji last week.

“The producers have been looking at American (sports) shows and how they do it the best ... nice suits, immaculate. I just think the five of us are going to work together really well.”

Hodges will join East West 101 and The Straits actor Aaron Fa’aoso, Nathan Appo, Jodan Perry and Hannah Hollis on the panel, with Wayne Denning and Maurice Parker as executive producers.

Retiring from his fulltime playing career after this year’s grand final — missing out on his fairytale finish, thanks to the North Queensland Cowboys and the magic of Johnathan Thurston.

Now, on the media side of the story, he said, he’d keep Thurston and others who gave him a hard time on the field in his sights: “he’s a close mate, but I should hammer him.”

Jokes aside, Hodges is looking forward to his new TV challenge.

“It’s not something I ever thought I’d be doing, but talking to everyone who is involved, just the passion they have for the show, what they want for the show, it’s going to be something special.”

Each episode will feature player profiles, match commentary and a special segment WYF? — ‘where you from?’ — which will take star players back to their hometowns.