Hill ready to step up for Dogs

[bornadog]

06/04/2009 11:48 AM
Paul Gough
Sportal


http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa198/mmsalih/hill.jpg

Western Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade is hoping Josh Hill's match-winning heroics against North Melbourne will prove a turning point in the exciting youngster's career.

Hill, an AFL Rising Star nominee last year who is now in his third AFL season, booted three second-half goals in wet conditions at the MCG and his two last-quarter goals - combined with setting up Lindsay Gilbee for the last goal of the game - proved to be the difference as the Dogs maintained their unbeaten start to 2009 with a 15-point win.

Eade admits that the naturally talented 20-year-old Hill can often look as though he is coasting through games and hopes his influential performance against North will lead to a period of greater consistency from one of the Dogs' most exciting young players.


"I probably ride him a little bit because sometimes his workrate can drop off," Eade said of Hill.

"But in the second half (against North) he won some vital balls and kicked some good goals and that is the type of game that will cement the thought in his head that if he works hard there will be rewards at the end of it."

It was only the second time in his 21-game career that Hill has kicked more than two goals in a game although he is averaging a goal per game across his career to date.

The West Australian - who now looks a bargain having been claimed at pick 61 in the 2006 National Draft - says he was delighted to play his part in a significant win for the Bulldogs.

"I started to fatigue a bit (in the last quarter) but it was good the coaches put me up forward and I did my part and kicked a few goals and we got the right result," Hill told Sportal.

"It was also good to adapt to the (wet) weather, knowing we could do that."

For a young player Hill also showed nerves of steel in the final term when he converted a tricky set shot early in the quarter to give the Dogs a three-goal lead.

"I thought it was going for the goalpost and I thought it was going to hit it but it just snuck in so I was very happy," he said.

Hill, who played 18 games last season including the finals but lost his place for five weeks during the middle of the season, is aiming to be a regular member of what is shaping as a powerful Bulldogs side this season.

"I had a bit of experience last year in the finals so coming into the new season I felt a lot more comfortable and now I want to stay injury-free and play as many games as possible," he said.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

He really did have a huge second half.

He's becoming a very dangerous player, consistently kicking goals. As Rocket says, if he works that little bit harder, he could really become a handful for the rest of the competition.

He's coming along nicely though and I hope he tears Richmond a new one.

[azabob]

He was born to play finals football.
I think he, Cooney and Griffen are our most exciting players to watch and have that X factor.

[LostDoggy]

A goal a game is a pretty good return, but with his low number of games so far it's a bit like a batsman averaging 150 after his first five innings. Will be good to see if he can maintain the average or even up it to 2 or 3 a game. That would put him close to elite class.

[AndrewP6]

Exciting young talent...like him a lot...

[Sockeye Salmon]

Hill has the potential to be the next Jordon McMahon.

Once the honeymoon is over he will become the whipping boy.

[Happy Days]

Hill has the potential to be the next Jordon McMahon.

Once the honeymoon is over he will become the whipping boy.

Be positive Sockeye,

Don't forget we got Callan Ward out of McMahon ;)

[Go_Dogs]

Hill has the potential to be the next Jordon McMahon.

Once the honeymoon is over he will become the whipping boy.

Jordie never took big contested marks down forward and kicked small bags.

[comrade]

Hill has the potential to be the next Jordon McMahon.

Once the honeymoon is over he will become the whipping boy.

How many contested marks did Jordy take in his first 20 games? How many games did he directly influence at 20 years of age?

Hill definitely needs to work harder and step up his defensive game, but he is infinitely more talented than one J. McMahon.

[Bulldog Revolution]

How many contested marks did Jordy take in his first 20 games? How many games did he directly influence at 20 years of age?

Hill definitely needs to work harder and step up his defensive game, but he is infinitely more talented than one J. McMahon.

Comrade whilst Hill is better overhead I cannot agree that Hill is infinitely more talented than McMahon

McMahon was a super talent, and dominated his first intra club game. McMahon was ludricously talented; super speed, agility great kick etc.

What will distinguish Hill from McMahon is the focus and discipline he applies to his game.

Whether Hill does that remains to be seen.

[LostDoggy]

What will distinguish Hill over Mc Mahon is his willingness to attack the ball and/or the ball carrier, a skill Mc Mahon never grasped.

[Desipura]

Be positive Sockeye,

Don't forget we got Callan Ward out of McMahon ;)
I think all you guys have misunderstood Sockeye. All I believe he is saying is that being an outside type player (like Jordy was) if/when Hill's form drops, he will be made the scapegoat.
There was no mention of him being the same type of player, the only similarities being that they are both outside players and these type players are the first to become scapegoats.
Is that right Sockeye?

[Sockeye Salmon]

I think all you guys have misunderstood Sockeye. All I believe he is saying is that being an outside type player (like Jordy was) if/when Hill's form drops, he will be made the scapegoat.
There was no mention of him being the same type of player, the only similarities being that they are both outside players and these type players are the first to become scapegoats.
Is that right Sockeye?

Hit the nail on the head.

Hill gets lots of credits for being young, they'll expire soon enough, then when he has a bad trot - which is inevitable for everyone at some point in their career - those laconic efforts will be misinterpreted as being soft or a lack of effort and the knives will come out.

[comrade]

Hit the nail on the head.

Hill gets lots of credits for being young, they'll expire soon enough, then when he has a bad trot - which is inevitable for everyone at some point in their career - those laconic efforts will be misinterpreted as being soft or a lack of effort and the knives will come out.

Fair point – for every year a player is under 25, their perceived talent is multiplied exponentially. Especially on footy forums.

I get a sense that Rocket also realizes that Josh is a player that could go either way if he just keeps coasting along and uses every opportunity to keep him grounded.

I stick to my guns that he is more talented than McMahon.

[Bulldog Revolution]

Fair point – for every year a player is under 25, their perceived talent is multiplied exponentially. Especially on footy forums.

I get a sense that Rocket also realizes that Josh is a player that could go either way if he just keeps coasting along and uses every opportunity to keep him grounded.

I stick to my guns that he is more talented than McMahon.

Astute observation - they're 'could be champions' when they are young, rather than coodabeens

And what SS is saying is that it wears off the more exposure supporters get to them, and the less consistently they deliver or the more laconic they look.

One of the benefits I see of bringing in Fantasia 18 months a go was that it freed Eade up to actually spend time with and coach the likes of Hill, which I see as being crucial to our younger players development.

We'll just have to disagree on Hill being more talented than McMahon. I guess the real issue and hope is that Hill will knuckle down and push himself to a level McMahon never achieved, which I hope he does.

[hujsh]

One advantage for Hill is that he's a forward and not a defender so his errors normally won't be as evident or damaging.

[Go_Dogs]

Hit the nail on the head.

Hill gets lots of credits for being young, they'll expire soon enough, then when he has a bad trot - which is inevitable for everyone at some point in their career - those laconic efforts will be misinterpreted as being soft or a lack of effort and the knives will come out.

I think what differentiates Hill is that he can take big contested grabs and do those special things that create something out of nothing. He also isn't played as a defender (at this stage) which means he doesn't have to be as accountable as we expected McMahon to be.

I can see where you're coming from though - a lot of people also chastised Cooney a few years ago because he was laconic, and therefore really questioned his work ethic. Hopefully Hill can get his work ethic up to the elite level and won't have to be the whipping boy. Some more body size/strength wouldn't hurt him either.

[Mantis]

Very talented player, but as much discussion has alluded to he can be/ will be a maligned player due to his very lax (or so it appears) approach.

You can see why Eade rides him pretty hard because it would be a huge waste of talent if this kid didn't/ doesn't get the best out of himself.