The silent season of retirement clearly doesn’t agree with Ben Hudson. The enduring career of the 33 year-old ruckman, which has twice been officially brought to a close, is set to continue at Collingwood.
 
Hudson has joined the Magpies as a ruck coach, with specific responsibility for mentoring the club’s two young ruckmen, Jarrod Witts and Brodie Grundy However, the club has also applied to the AFL for permission for Hudson to commence training with the club with an eye to recruiting him in the upcoming rookie draft.
 
Hudson is expected to arrive at the Westpac Centre tomorrow and join the players and staff heading to Utah early next week for their annual training camp at altitude.
 
“Ben will work closely with our young ruckmen and we think, with his experience and example, he will be outstanding in that role,” Collingwood football director, Geoff Walsh, said.
 
“But we have also committed to selecting Ben in the rookie draft if he nominates because we think he can also offer strong support to Darren Jolly as the two young boys mature. Ben had a fine season for Brisbane this year and as we see it he should be able to help us in a number of ways. If he nominates, and is available, we will be picking him.”
 
Collingwood will be the much-travelled Hudson’s fourth AFL home. He played 55 matches for Adelaide, 88 for the Western Bulldogs and 18 this year for the Lions.
 
After finishing up with the Dogs at the end of the 2011 season, Hudson retired to move back to his home state of Queensland only to be tempted back into the league by the offer of a role supporting the Lions’ young ruckmen. With Matthew Leuenberger being injured for much of the campaign, Hudson played a frontline role for Michael Voss’ side and was among the leading ruckmen in the competition.
 
With that caretaking role complete, though, Hudson and the Lions parted company shortly after the season finished, with his career seemingly over after 161 matches played across  eight seasons.