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NEW Lightning recruit Laura Hodges (nee Summerton) is feeling good about her London Olympic campaign and ready to step into Abby Bishop's role at Adelaide.

That is despite seeing only 4min36sec of court-time, all in the game against Canada, in her third Olympic campaign.

In Athens, Hodges, 28 and 188cm, was a rookie but by Beijing, she was the team's all-purpose "sixth man'' after filling the same role in the Opals' gold medal-winning 2006 world championship assault.

Controversially omitted from the ill-fated 2010 world championship team, Hodges was restored for London.

"This Olympics for me was special because I missed the (Opals) team in 2010,'' Hodges said.

"To get back into the team from there was a huge milestone.''

Despite what must have been a disappointing lack of on-court action, Hodges remained the steadfast "good soldier'' throughout the bronze medal-winning campaign.

But now she is getting toey to fill the shoes of Olympic teammate Bishop, who is off to France to play with Perpignan.

"I'm really excited to be back playing for Lightning,'' Hodges said, having spent six years playing in Europe.

"I'm looking also to work in the community and with charities and give something back to the sport.''

Bishop, who helped Adelaide to the 2011-12 regular season championship before its straight-sets finals exit, said she could hardly wait to board a plane back to Europe.

"I'm packing up my house in Canberra and getting organised,'' she said.

"It's a one-year contract and I'll be back in May.''

Bishop said she would see how she felt before deciding whether to have anorther run in the WNBA, having come through a tough season and Olympic campaign.

"It was my first Olympics and I'm more than happy to have a bronze medal,'' she said.