He'd gone from seeing his family and best mates every day in Hull, to knowing nobody on the other side of the world.

"You don't know where to go for your shopping, don't know how to set up a phone contract, you don't know where to go. There's all these things that are so new and you feel isolated," Hodgson said.

But now the Canberra Raiders rake is an Australian citizen and married to wife Kirby with one-year-old son George keeping them busy around the house.

"Now it's really starting to feel like home."

Home, except when it comes to international rugby league - Hodgson is primed to play a huge role for an English side looking to cause a boilover in the World Cup.

They've got the perfect chance to start off on the right foot when England open their campaign against short-priced favourites Australia in Melbourne on Friday, October 27.

It took Hodgson the best part of a year to really settle in Canberra but he says young George won't have the same issue growing up - he's a born and bred Australian.

"We're obviously planning on other children as well so if we have any in the [near] future they'll all be born here, and probably class themselves Aussies as well," Hodgson said.

"They'll start going to Australian schools and probably be into me about being a Pom I'd imagine."

But whether or not they grow up playing rugby league will be their decision, although the 27-year-old admits he would love to see George pull on the boots when he is old enough.

Hodgson laughs if push ever came to shove, he might nudge his young bloke towards pulling on an England jumper rather than a green and gold one.

"I'd love for my son to play for England if that was ever a chance and if he was into rugby league when he was older," Hodgson said.

"At the same time, it's his life and it's his decision... I'm sure I could maybe edge him a little bit towards England though."

Hodgson is so at home in Canberra that he wants to stay here when he retires from football, having excelled at a club that prides itself on family values.

Raiders coach Ricky Stuart once told his players in the dressing rooms it was a welcome change to see players sitting down with their kids climbing all over them after a game.

Canberra has become a place for players to get their lives together off the field and relaunch their careers on it.

While nobody is as far away from their extended family as Hodgson and English teammate Elliott Whitehead, many are "still a three or four-hour drive away - some of them a flight away from their families".

Having people around that knew what they were going through when they first arrived in the capital helped the Englishmen settle.

"It's been very good and very helpful that we have got blokes in our team that are very close-knit and always there to lend an ear if you ever need it. I think that helped us settle," Hodgson said.

"There's quite a few in the same situation to what we are so I think that's one of the things that keeps us pretty tight-knit and completely understanding as well.

"Stick [Stuart] and the coaching staff are really good with making sure that you're looking after your family first. I think that's very important when you are isolated from your family."

RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP

Friday October 27: Australia v England at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, 8pm.