A decade after falling out with Wayne Bennett and walking out on Brisbane, Justin Hodges is set to be a major player in helping the club usher in a host of future stars.

After fearing for his career following a serious Achilles injury, the 28-year-old representative centre signed a deal with Brisbane on Wednesday understood to be worth around $1 million, keeping him at the club where he started until at least 2014.

Hodges' class and experience will help rookie coach Anthony Griffin make the transition to life after Darren Lockyer when the club legend retires at the end of 2011.

It's a far cry from the icy split at the end of 2001 when his decision to sign with the Sydney Roosters put him off side with Bennett, who punished Hodges by making him play the last half of the season with Brisbane's feeder club Toowoomba.

Brisbane left the door open for rival clubs to poach Hodges after failing to re-sign the boom 19-year-old prior to the June 30 anti-tampering deadline.

The Roosters snared his signature, upsetting Bennett, who banished him from the Broncos' top side.

However Hodges credits Bennett with patching things up during an emerging State of Origin camp, saying the truce was what lured him back to the only club he ever really wanted to play for.

"Wayne and I had a bit of a disagreement and I was the first player to walk out on him," said Hodges.

"We patched things up during an emerging Origin camp in '03 and I'm really grateful he brought me back in 2005."

The pair combined to win a premiership in 2006.

"Wayne knew I was struggling a bit in Sydney and it shows the character of the man for him to bring me back when he thought I'd walked out on him," he said.

Hodges can laugh about it now but it was a difficult period in his career being in Bennett's bad books.

"He didn't talk to me. That's the bad side of Wayne no player wants to see because everyone admires and respects him so much," Hodges told AAP.

"Even back then I didn't have any anger or remorse towards him, I knew I made a decision for myself and my family and I went with it."

Hodges and Bennett are now neighbours living across the street from each other.

"He lives in an apartment right next door. We often speak when he comes home to see his family.

"We're still great friends and I take his advice. He's the best guy I know to get life advice off."

Hodges, who has no designs on the Broncos captaincy, felt he had plenty to offer the young players coming through and believed his best football was ahead of him.

Like Mal Meninga and Petero Civoniceva, who extended their careers after overcoming major injuries, Hodges believes he can play his best football off the back end of his career.

"Last year was a horror year for me. I didn't know if I'd ever come back and play again, there were some dark times when I didn't think I would," he said.

"But I never looked around. I love this club, it's the club where I play my best footy and this is where I want to finish my career and I can't see why these next three years can't be my best.

"There's been some great players who've worn the jersey before me and every time I pull it on I don't want to let them down."

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