Josh Hill's Mark

[westdog54]

I'm still yet to see today's game, but Twodogs assures me that Josh Hill took the "Mark of the Year" (or was it mark of the century, I can't remember?)

For those who were there or who watched it on TV, just how good was it?

And for the record, Sockeye predicted this about a month ago, only without the second bit.



Hill started poorly. A few skill errors - fumbles and miskicks - but his 2nd half was good. He'll take mark of the year one day but will give away 20 frees trying before he does.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Which one? None were mark of the year, but he took 4 very strong contested grabs. He has an incredible vertical leap, even off one step, and very sticky hands. SS is right on when he states Hill will take mark of the year, a couple of times he got some serious height on the leap.

Some seriously encouraging signs today, 15+ possessions, good decision making, good skills & big strong grabs.

If he can add on 5kgs, he's going to be a beauty.

[aker39]

Certainly no mark of the days/years candidates today.

I actually think Josh Hills performance was the biggest positive to come out of the day (apart from the 4 points of course)

[LostDoggy]

Mark of the year maybe not. Sconed Johnson on the way down. 3 or 4 contested marks.

[The Underdog]

Twodogs is pulling your leg I reckon.
Took a nice mark 35m out and slotted the goal.
That's what really impressed me about Hill yesterday. His composure was excellent, even when his teammates were kicking daft sideways kicks he kicked downfield and hit targets. Great set of hands too.

[Throughandthrough]

....as long as Hill never goes down the back half again. I thought he looked very wobbly when in the back lines.

[Twodogs]

Maybe I got caught up in a bit of hyperbole but any second game player who will leap backwards into the unknown and take an overhead mark and finishes with a goal to keep his team in it gets my vote. Great marks dont have to be spectacular and flashy, they also can be gutsy and inspirational!



After an effort like that from a second gamer I wouldnt want to be the next bloke the coach see's not going hard enough or putting my body on the line.

[mjp]

His best mark was about 5 minutes before that when he ran across the front of the oncoming player in the centre to cut off an Adelaide attack. He had to go, and he went. A very good effort.

[Mofra]

His best mark was about 5 minutes before that when he ran across the front of the oncoming player in the centre to cut off an Adelaide attack. He had to go, and he went. A very good effort.
I concur. You don't get that sort of elevation either without being 100% committed. I can't remember a player of Hill's running capacity who has anything like his leap. It' just extraordinary!

The other facet of his game to mention is his disposal. Everytime Addison had the ball he looked like he lacked confidence, they was a worry he fluff it. Hill's disposal was first rate, even in the second quarter when all his teammates were turning most touches over. The ball felt safe in his hands.

I rated his game higher than most (even judging by the bests in the paper) simply because his disposal was a highlight even when the team's was deplorable.

[dog town]

His best mark was about 5 minutes before that when he ran across the front of the oncoming player in the centre to cut off an Adelaide attack. He had to go, and he went. A very good effort.
I agree. My mates were predictably taken by some of his early flashy efforts and asked me about him. I said he was a very smooth mover and good in the air but had big question marks over his endeavour. That mark he took went some way removing those question marks and also made me look like a bit of an idiot. Most impressive thing he did for me.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

I agree. My mates were predictably taken by some of his early flashy efforts and asked me about him. I said he was a very smooth mover and good in the air but had big question marks over his endeavour. That mark he took went some way removing those question marks and also made me look like a bit of an idiot. Most impressive thing he did for me.

I think most of us had questions over his ability to stick his head over the ball and stand up to the rigours of AFL football. He's always looked a smooth mover as you said, and had a nice leap with decent skills but he really stood up yesterday. He applied defensive pressure, he ran hard along the wings, he put his body on the line in several marking contests and was unlucky to pull down a couple more. The signs were very encouraging, he did everything right. His decision not to take the ball but to instead slap it over the back of the pack to Aker was fantastic, and his foot skills and options he picked were all first class. Besides him, Aker was probably the other only player for us to use the ball so effectively.

He needs to add some weight, though. McLeod, Edwards & Johncock all spent time on him in the second half and were able to slightly nudge him out of the contest. Once he builds up some muscle though, Hill could be anything.

[Mantis]

^^ Some really good summation's regarding Hill's game and future.

I was in a box yesterday with a few people who had little or know idea about footy. (I think they where taken aback by my outbursts every so often....you get that). I looked like an expert when I picked out Hill before the game as a player to watch who will take atleast a couple of big marks.

As with others I was super impressed with his calmness with the ball and his ability to pick the right option and then execute perfectly weighted passes to that option.

Looks a keeper and hope he can continue to improve as the season unfolds.

[westdog54]

....as long as Hill never goes down the back half again. I thought he looked very wobbly when in the back lines.

I'm going to contrast this statement with our round 1 game against West Coast in 2003.

We all remember Jade Rawlings kicking 7, Cooney's 1st game etc etc.

But one of the things that stood out for me was a midfield battle in the last quarter. We put a young player onto Ben Cousins with the job of tagging him. Cousins ran riot, getting clearance after clearance out of the centre, and pretty much singlehandedly won them the game. If we'd shut him down I'm convinced they wouldn't have had enough scoring opportunities.

I was of the impression that this young fella simply wasnt' going to make it as a midfielder.

His name was Daniel Cross.

I'm more than happy to put Hill's battle against McLeod in this category. Give the boy time.

[Raw Toast]

Eade said on the 774 pre-match that he thought we'd found a player in Hill which surprised me as I hadn't realised he was so confident about him.

It sounds like part of what was good about him yesterday is similar to what he showed in the intra-club this year. He was played in defence pretty much all game and dominated for much of the first half, picking off incoming attacks at will. Showed great anticipation and the ability to get to where he needed to be. Sounds like he did this and more yesterday.

[Bulldog Revolution]

Maybe I got caught up in a bit of hyperbole but any second game player who will leap backwards into the unknown and take an overhead mark and finishes with a goal to keep his team in it gets my vote. Great marks dont have to be spectacular and flashy, they also can be gutsy and inspirational!

After an effort like that from a second gamer I wouldnt want to be the next bloke the coach see's not going hard enough or putting my body on the line.

Hill was super, obviously a terrific athlete, and constantly a threat to intercept opposition passes with that spring of his. He looks like he is going to be incredible at Telstra dome with his ability to cover ground, leap and take grabs

[alwaysadog]

The boy will learn quickly and while he showed some real positives I bet he learnt heaps especially from McLeod. The reason Mc Leod could move him so easily wasn't so much pure weight or body strength but anticipation McLeod had made up his mind and was balanced and moving while Hill was still making up his mind and unbalanced.

If he can ever read the play as well as his oponent for short periods yeaterday there will be no stopping him.

[LostDoggy]

I thought he had a wonderful sense of composure for a second gamer that was remarkable. Many opposition supporters on BF rate him highly for the NAB Rising Star this week - now that would make it an amazing week of footy for us:)

[aker39]

I thought he had a wonderful sense of composure for a second gamer that was remarkable. Many opposition supporters on BF rate him highly for the NAB Rising Star this week - now that would make it an amazing week of footy for us:)

I'll take a punt and say Collingwoods Nathan Brown will get it.

[alwaysadog]

I'll take a punt and say Collingwoods Nathan Brown will get it.

Them's pretty short odds

[Mantis]

Would think it would be out of Brown, Hill and Houli and perhaps Geary as an outsider.

[westdog54]

Would think it would be out of Brown, Hill and Houli and perhaps Geary as an outsider.

Houli got plenty of the ball yesterday but he just seemed to rush/panic a bit, not a lot of his kicks (of which there were plenty I'll admit) were ineffective or resulted in turnovers. He'll be a great player but I think he's one people will be caught up in a bit.

[Mantis]

Houli got plenty of the ball yesterday but he just seemed to rush/panic a bit, not a lot of his kicks (of which there were plenty I'll admit) were ineffective or resulted in turnovers. He'll be a great player but I think he's one people will be caught up in a bit.

Yeah agree on Houli's game although I wouldn't go throwing around idea's that he will be a great player just yet. I didn't see the Coll game so didn't see Brown's effort on Pav, but for sheer impact on the game I would give it to Hill. He got us back in the match in the 3rd qtr. Is it a good or bad sign that we relied on a 2nd gamer to give us a much needed spark?

[westdog54]

Yeah agree on Houli's game although I wouldn't go throwing around idea's that he will be a great player just yet. I didn't see the Coll game so didn't see Brown's effort on Pav, but for sheer impact on the game I would give it to Hill. He got us back in the match in the 3rd qtr. Is it a good or bad sign that we relied on a 2nd gamer to give us a much needed spark?

Sometimes its not experience or freakish skill, but the exuberance of youth, that's needed to spark a team back into action. As Twodogs pointed out, after Hill's efforts you wouldn't want to be the next bloke the coach saw not go hard enough.

[soupman]

Very impressive on sunday. He was one of the few players who always looked like he was going to do something. That 3rd quarter was sensational, his timing and leap for his marks are great, and he doesn't waste his disposals. That volleyball tap he did to Aka(?) to set up a goal was magic.

There was a stage there towards the end of the 3rd quarter where going forward the people around me (including myself) were willing our midfielders to pass to Hill in our foward line instead of Welsh and Johnno.

He is clearly a massive positive to come out of todays game, and hopefully he can back it up next week.

[Cyberdoggie]

Twodogs is pulling your leg I reckon.
Took a nice mark 35m out and slotted the goal.
That's what really impressed me about Hill yesterday. His composure was excellent, even when his teammates were kicking daft sideways kicks he kicked downfield and hit targets. Great set of hands too.

yeah i think someone had a good talk to him over the pre-season as he has improved soo much in all the areas he was weak last year.

He has such an unusual style of marking, he sits on the side of the contest looking like he's not interested and isn't going up, then he just lauches up with those long arms and takes it one grab

[soupman]

yeah i think someone had a good talk to him over the pre-season as he has improved soo much in all the areas he was weak last year.

He has such an unusual style of marking, he sits on the side of the contest looking like he's not interested and isn't going up, then he just lauches up with those long arms and takes it one grab


Thats what I thought the first time he did it on Sunday. Its like he's spectating and then all of a sudden he's got the ball in his hands.

[hujsh]

Would think it would be out of Brown, Hill and Houli and perhaps Geary as an outsider.

Yeah i think you can lock in Houli or Brown because of who they play for.

Hill will play for a long time because he seems like when he can't play in the middle anymore he will be a dangerous forward like Johnson (although not as good)

[Mantis]

Yeah i think you can lock in Houli or Brown because of who they play for.

Hill will play for a long time because he seems like when he can't play in the middle anymore he will be a dangerous forward like Johnson (although not as good)

How do you know? Can you see into the future?

When Johnson first played, back when you were still in your nappies Brad was just a skinny wingman who had some pace, was a reasonable kick and had a good set of hands. Good judges back then would have had no idea that Johnson would turn out to be such a dominant small forward.

Hill has similiar attributes to Johnson although he has a much bigger leap, but I and everyone else has absolutely no idea how his future will go and what type of player he might become.

[hujsh]

How do you know? Can you see into the future?

When Johnson first played, back when you were still in your nappies Brad was just a skinny wingman who had some pace, was a reasonable kick and had a good set of hands. Good judges back then would have had no idea that Johnson would turn out to be such a dominant small forward.

Hill has similiar attributes to Johnson although he has a much bigger leap, but I and everyone else has absolutely no idea how his future will go and what type of player he might become.

Are you sure i was? Can you see the past:rolleyes:

It is definitely not certain but i wouldn't yet bet on him becoming on of the clubs greats like Johnson has. In fact he hasn't even become a regular member of the team and may never play more than 10 games for all we know.

Geez should have just said probably