Do we know what the family relationship was between Lords Hubert Arryn and Rodrik Arryn? (Just me or House Arryn have a lot of cousins who succeed to its head?)
There’s no indication of the specific relationship between Hubert and Rodrik, but given the (admittedly limited) timeline we have, I suspect that Rodrik was a grandson of Hubert. If Hubert succeeded in 37 (after the deaths of Ronnel and Jonos), and already had six sons, then I could believe that his most senior grandson (or one of the most senior, at least) would be of an age to marry in 80 AC (when Rodrik was noted to have married Princess Daella Targaryen). Perhaps Fire and Blood will shed more light on this, since it was presumably in the reign of Jaehaerys I that Rodrik succeeded to the Eyrie (and goodness knows we need quite a bit more on Jaehaerys I), but we shall see. Until I’m contradicted, I’ll guess Rodrik was Hubert’s grandson (which, of course, doesn’t necessarily make him his immediate successor).
As far as the Arryn succession goes, I wouldn’t really agree. It’s unfortunate that we didn’t get an Arryn family tree in TWOIAF, but there are still a number of examples (amongst the few we have) of Arryn sons succeeding, rather than cousins. The second, third, and fourth Arryn kings were the two sons and a grandson (presumably the heir of the younger) of King Artys I; Roland I was succeeded by his son, grandson, and two great-grandsons in turn; and King Hugo Arryn was the grandson of King Hugh Arryn. Too, of course, Jon Arryn succeeded his own father, and his son Robert succeeded him. I think rather there is a sense of presentism in such an analysis, because House Arryn has gone through a number of dynastic tragedies in the modern era, but I don’t think that necessarily holds true for the whole House (especially one that has been reigning for the better part of six thousand years).
