Josh Hill's hands

[Rocco Jones]

I have been saying this for awhile, but Josh Hill's (off the deck/in the air combo) are the best set of hands I have seen from a Bulldogs player (note: I 28, so please don't bag me for saying someone that played pre-late 80's you old men rivers).

I know he it was a vintage junk time performance tonight and watching him like give me bipolar.

[comrade]

I have been saying this for awhile, but Josh Hill's (off the deck/in the air combo) are the best set of hands I have seen from a Bulldogs player (note: I 28, so please don't bag me for saying someone that played in the pre-late 80's you old men rivers).

I know he it was a vintage junk time performance tonight and watching him like give me bipolar.

Stickier than honey mixed with glue, which I'd assume is very sticky indeed (but most definitely inedible)

[Mantis]

Yeah he took a couple of half volleys he had no right to grab.

Once he learns how good he could be he will be a gun.

[Rocco Jones]

Yeah he took a couple of half volleys he had no right to grab.

Once he learns how good he could be he will be a gun.

Yeah, his half volley grabs are a bit scary.

He could be anything.

[LostDoggy]

Favourite player. Seems to be along with Murphy our best player attacking the ball from a centre clearance. I'm still waiting for a mark of the year. He's teasing us.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

What I liked tonight was one piece of play near the boundary, Hill gave a quick handball to Johnno then shepparded 2 Tiges out of the play and Johhno ran in and kicked the goal.

[bulldogtragic]

Yeah he took a couple of half volleys he had no right to grab.

Once he learns how good he could be he will be a gun.
I could nominate this for post of the year. It's scary just how good he could be.

I see some signs in Stack too. Alyhough he is coming from much further back.

[Dancin' Douggy]

What I liked tonight was one piece of play near the boundary, Hill gave a quick handball to Johnno then shepparded 2 Tiges out of the play and Johhno ran in and kicked the goal.

I think that was Stack?

[bornadog]

I think that was Stack?

It was Hill

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

I think that was Stack?

Nope just watching the game for the second time now and it was definitely Hill in the first quarter.


Make that the 3rd quarter it was..... confusing Fox sport footage whilst switching between it and the replay.

[bulldogtragic]

It was Hill
Yep, Hill it was.

[dog town]

I have been saying this for awhile, but Josh Hill's (off the deck/in the air combo) are the best set of hands I have seen from a Bulldogs player (note: I 28, so please don't bag me for saying someone that played pre-late 80's you old men rivers).

I know he it was a vintage junk time performance tonight and watching him like give me bipolar. Those clean touches are pure gold in a tight scrappy game especially forward of center. He gives other players more time.

[Rocco Jones]

Those clean touches are pure gold in a tight scrappy game especially forward of center. He gives other players more time.

Spot on.

I think he makes it look so easy that a lot of fans don't realise how hard and valuable it actually is.

Just because your hands are great when the ball is in the air doesn't always mean they great off the half volley (or vice-versa) but Hill is the best I've seen from a Bulldog in both areas.

If he gets the mental side of his game right, he could become something crazy.

[TwiceBitten]

His ball control and coolness remind me at times of Michael Long or Mickey O. I hope he matches them for value and longevity. :)

[Mofra]

If he gets the mental side of his game right, he could become something crazy.
I'm not sure the mental side of things is a far off as his relaxed persona might suggest.

I remember another kid who looked relaxed to the point of disinterested and sometimes faded out of games, but he's just notched up his 150th and is one of our first picked every week. He never had Hill's hands or ability to create play inside the F50 by putting the ball to our advantage. Then again, Hill doesn't quite have Shaggy's mongrel.

[Dancin' Douggy]

He's like a perfect blend of Nicky Winmar and Michael Long.
Now THAT'S scary.
If he keeps building self belief and decides to take games by the scruff of the neck, AND develops a motor to run all day we may have a genuine serious superstar on our hands.
A NORM SMITH MEDALLIST.

[boydogs]

Great hands, great leap, great kick and great endurance. I love it when he intercepts opposition kicks and chases players down, a real turnover weapon

[comrade]

Where does Hill rate amongst the indigenous players to have worn the red, white and blue?

[The Coon Dog]

Where does Hill rate amongst the indigenous players to have worn the red, white and blue?

1. Magic McLean
2. Lally Bamblett
3. Josh Hill

Aboriginal Dogs 1; past, present and future

[bulldogtragic]

1. Magic McLean
2. Lally Bamblett
3. Josh Hill

Aboriginal Dogs 1; past, present and future
Winmar?

[The Coon Dog]

Winmar?
Didn't play much with us, a bit like Phil Krakouer. Great players, both of them, but to me they're more a Saint & a Kangaroo.

[bulldogtragic]

Didn't play much with us, a bit like Phil Krakouer. Great players, both of them, but to me they're more a Saint & a Kangaroo.
Fair enough, i was upset when Winmar pulled the pin. I still thought he had some good footy in him.

And we had Koops, who will forever be remembered for us at least, as they player that was held without the ball and not paid the free in front of goal losing the match. The same game as Rawlings kicked 9 (?) and we thought, how good is Rawlings, we were really clever...

We had 'The Next Andrew McLeod' - God Faulkner was a frustration. He could play, just don't understand what happened with him...

Akers aptly named 'The Brothers' all have the potential to be very good players. But Hill is special, almost a delicious footballer.

[Happy Days]

The same game as Rawlings kicked 9 (?) and we thought, how good is Rawlings, we were really clever...


7 goals, 4 behinds.

Probably should've had 9.

[bulldogtragic]

7 goals, 4 behinds.

Probably should've had 9.
Who would have thought 5 years later Rawlings would be coaching Richmond after being delisted by North Melbourne???

[comrade]

Who would have thought 5 years later Rawlings would be coaching Richmond after being delisted by North Melbourne???

The curse of the Veale deal continues to work in very strange ways.

[bulldogtragic]

The curse of the Veale deal continues to work in very strange ways.
Yup. All that is left is for Keppler Bradley to crash into Pavlich and for Pav to do his ACL. Everything else has been pure poison from that deal.

[LostDoggy]

Isn't Aker part aboriginal?

[LostDoggy]

Isn't Aker part aboriginal?

Aker is part human, part pocket dynamite, part flying fish, part deadeye dick.

[comrade]

Aker is part human, part pocket dynamite, part flying fish, part deadeye dick.

And all champion.

[LostDoggy]

And all champion.

Perfect end to a perfect quote. :)

ps. Did anyone see him on that Squiz show on ABC/SBS tonight? He knows his stuff, and was quite funny in parts, but the show is a bit of a damp squib.

[LostDoggy]

A NORM SMITH MEDALLIST.

Its funny you say that. At the start of the year my msn name was Josh Hill-2009 Norm Smith Medallist. Out of all of our players I reckon Josh Hill, along with Shaun Higgins, has the most potential to be a Norm Smith medallist. But yet again I also predicted all of my three teams (Bulldogs, Cavs and the Storm) would be the premiers/champions.

[Happy Days]

Its funny you say that. At the start of the year my msn name was Josh Hill-2009 Norm Smith Medallist. Out of all of our players I reckon Josh Hill, along with Shaun Higgins, has the most potential to be a Norm Smith medallist. But yet again I also predicted all of my three teams (Bulldogs, Cavs and the Storm) would be the premiers/champions.

Norm Smith Medal? Stuff that. Anything Lewis Roberts-Thompson comes close to winning can't mean that much. I want a brownlow!

P.S: I'd cop a Norm Smith, mind you, as it probably means we won the flag. :)

[MrMahatma]

Isn't Aker part aboriginal?
Nah, think he made a comment years back that he didn't know who his dad was, so 'for all I know I could be part aboriginal'... but he's not.

[LostDoggy]

P.S: I'd cop a Norm Smith, mind you, as it probably means we won the flag. :)

Exactly. Higgins, Hill, Ward etc. could be the difference between a prelim and a GF.

Josh Hill-
Rising Star nomination (2008)
Norm Smith Medallist (2009)
Brownlow Medallist (2010)
AFL Premiership (2009, 2010)

I wish;)

[Mofra]

Why stop there?

2011 OAM
2012 Australian of the Year
2013 Times Man of the Year
2014 Nobel Prize for Literature
2015 Bulldogs Life Membership :D

[LostDoggy]

Why stop there?

2011 OAM
2012 Australian of the Year
2013 Times Man of the Year
2014 Nobel Prize for Literature
2015 Bulldogs Life Membership :D

2016 First Australian to be President of the US
;)I like how Bulldogs life membership was after the Nobel prize, Australian of the Year etc. :D

[Dancin' Douggy]

How about............ 2016 first Australian to be president of AUSTRALIA!

[Desipura]

so how good are Josh's hands?

[soupman]

so how good are Josh's hands?

They're ok.

[Cyberdoggie]

I'm just hoping he can improve his kicking from sharp angles. I think he's only kicked 1 so far this year out of approx 10 shots.

[Mantis]

I'm just hoping he can improve his kicking from sharp angles. I think he's only kicked 1 so far this year out of approx 10 shots.

Maybe he can take lessons from Aker..... or maybe Johnno;)

I thought he snagged a couple of Friday from tightish angles. He also hit the inside of the post deep in the last qtr against Geelong which was a very ggod kick. Agree that he does needs to work on the run around snaps from near the goal line/ goal posts. He is just about the only aboriginal player going around that doesn't kick these 9 times out of 10.

[LostDoggy]

How about............ 2016 first Australian to be president of AUSTRALIA!

President of Australia? A lots gonna have to change for that to happen. Come on now, be realistic:p

[angelopetraglia]

Josh does have great hands.

When I first watched him, I thought he was almost ducking his head every time he took a mark.

Obviously after now seeing him for some time that is not the case. He just tends to take the ball very late and high (i.e. looks like he will run under it almost), not in front of his eyes but it almost looks like he takes it behind his head.

Example: http://www.fairfaxphotos.com/consumer/preview.php?hit=4

[Mofra]

Obviously after now seeing him for some time that is not the case. He just tends to take the ball very late and high (i.e. looks like he will run under it almost), not in front of his eyes but it almost looks like he takes it behind his head.
Some recruiters mentioned this in a few players after every draft, taking the ball at it's highest point, as it makes it more difficult for a defender to spoil. Riewoldt is a natural and it makes him a more damaging player. The way Josh takes the ball combined with his leap make him a very damaging overhead mark (good judgement aside).

[Sockeye Salmon]

Some recruiters mentioned this in a few players after every draft, taking the ball at it's highest point, as it makes it more difficult for a defender to spoil. Riewoldt is a natural and it makes him a more damaging player. The way Josh takes the ball combined with his leap make him a very damaging overhead mark (good judgement aside).

Taking the ball at it's highest point is good.

Taking the ball directly above your head is bad.

[bulldogtragic]

God his hands are brilliant!

[wb_age]

http://cache3.asset-cache.net/xc/82005631.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF19368FFB0B613D6DEB01EC3BFBE9440E76DE30A760B0D 811297

[hujsh]

http://cache3.asset-cache.net/xc/82005631.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF19368FFB0B613D6DEB01EC3BFBE9440E76DE30A760B0D 811297

Great pic. Don't like the eyes closed though.

[bulldogtragic]

I am starting to get a feeling is a flat track bully.
Goals in junk time and takes hangers every now and then and we don't question his position in the 22. Somethings gotta give, taking mark of the round doesn't detract from doing SF All for a few weeks, outside junk time.

[AndrewP6]

I am starting to get a feeling is a flat track bully.
Goals in junk time and takes hangers every now and then and we don't question his position in the 22. Somethings gotta give, taking mark of the round doesn't detract from doing SF All for a few weeks, outside junk time.

I agree.... he has a lot of flash, hope he can stay in the pan (shocking attempt at a play on words, I know!). Have to keep thinking "He's young, he's young"

[bulldogtragic]

I agree.... he has a lot of flash, hope he can stay in the pan (shocking attempt at a play on words, I know!). Have to keep thinking "He's young, he's young"
Exactly. No-one is writing him off, he was a lot of tricks and leg speed. But he isn't deleivering either of those attributes to the AFL side right now. I think that has been masked by last weeks mark and some junk time goals that push his tally/goal average up.

Time for a VFL spell me thinks.

[The Underdog]

I am starting to get a feeling is a flat track bully.
Goals in junk time and takes hangers every now and then and we don't question his position in the 22. Somethings gotta give, taking mark of the round doesn't detract from doing SF All for a few weeks, outside junk time.

I'm not sure what you're basing this on. He's been good some weeks, not so good others. He's probably borderline to have a run in the 2's, but he has certainly contributed in game's where the heat is on in the past. To accuse him of only contributing when the game is over is wrong. His "mark of the year" the other week occurred when we were in trouble and not in junk time.

[bulldogtragic]

I'm not sure what you're basing this on. He's been good some weeks, not so good others. He's probably borderline to have a run in the 2's, but he has certainly contributed in game's where the heat is on in the past. To accuse him of only contributing when the game is over is wrong. His "mark of the year" the other week occurred when we were in trouble and not in junk time.
I didn't suggest the mark was in junk time, only that he scores many goals in in junk time.

I just don't see what he is doing so well with all his skills and pace, that makes him an instant in the 22. I think his form over the last month has been scratchy and he should have a run in the twos. I want to see the pace and bag of tricks we are not seeing from him at the moment. Stack has performed well since going back and is a ready made replacement.

As i say i'm not writing him off or saying his season as a whole is bad, only his form has been poor and tonight he added nothing. Absolutely nothing.

[LostDoggy]

He was terrible last night. Its been junk time Josh for a while now.

[Mantis]

How about we give him a run on the wing for a bit?

Seriously it's a bit too much too expect Hill to be our big marking forward.

[LostDoggy]

How about we give him a run on the wing for a bit?

Seriously it's a bit too much too expect Hill to be our big marking forward.

Might be an idea but is he going continually fumble in the middle as well?

[Mantis]

Might be an idea but is he going continually fumble in the middle as well?

Couldn't hurt to play a natural wingman in his best position for a bit.

[Desipura]

Couldn't hurt to play a natural wingman in his best position for a bit.
or give him a spell if Grant tears it up this weekend at Willi (providing Welsh is fit to play)

[Sedat]

Was comfortably 44th best on the ground last night - so many passive, half-hearted efforts that gifted Collingwood easy passage out of their defence.

His worst needs to be a hell of a lot better than what was served up last night.

[Happy Days]

Was comfortably 44th best on the ground last night - so many passive, half-hearted efforts that gifted Collingwood easy passage out of their defence.

His worst needs to be a hell of a lot better than what was served up last night.

Jack Anthony will be glad to hear that.

For us, Welsh, Williams and Eagleton were all worse. At least Hill came in to it a bit in the last.

[Mofra]

How about we give him a run on the wing for a bit?

Seriously it's a bit too much too expect Hill to be our big marking forward.
Yes. Absolutely yes. His endurance (VO2 max testing) was outstanding, and he's been a non-event in the past two weeks in the F50 (13 tackles attempts last week shows he's working hard at least).

I couldn't stand seeing Johnno bust his gut, hard running to provide a lead up HFF target, only to end up 2 on one with Shaw almost molesting him allowing the third man up to spoil / mark. If Josh isn't going to be the lead up forward he needs to be in the action.

[hujsh]

Was comfortably 44th best on the ground last night - so many passive, half-hearted efforts that gifted Collingwood easy passage out of their defence.

His worst needs to be a hell of a lot better than what was served up last night.

Hill has the potential to be the next Jordon McMahon.

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

Scarily accurate as always SS

[BulldogBelle]

Josh was overpowered, outmarked and outbusled on countless ocasions last night

The guy is a stick, so why bother trying to wrestle with a O'Brien or Presigiacomo

Float in from the side, use your leap, or lead further up the ground...you dont see Murphy trying to wrestle with guys that weigh 10kgs more than him.....he didnt get to contests first, stood flat footed when Collingwood were running out of defence

Josh needs to lift his intensity, and his workrate, or dont both playing again St Kilda, Geelong or Collingwood

Against muture bodied sides like the above mentioned, I would prefer him to play on a wing rather than in the forward line...

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Why doesn't Eade play Hill on a wing anymore?

I really don't think Eade makes enough changes during a game. If something isn't working, change it. Murphy should have been moved to the forward half long before he was. Welsh should have been pushed back.

Pretty frustrating.

Especially when Eagleton got 9 possessions. Why couldn't Hill be shifted onto a wing?

[boydogs]

Josh was overpowered, outmarked and outbusled on countless ocasions last night

The guy is a stick, so why bother trying to wrestle with a O'Brien or Presigiacomo

Float in from the side, use your leap, or lead further up the ground...you dont see Murphy trying to wrestle with guys that weigh 10kgs more than him.....he didnt get to contests first, stood flat footed when Collingwood were running out of defence

Josh needs to lift his intensity, and his workrate, or dont both playing again St Kilda, Geelong or Collingwood

Against muture bodied sides like the above mentioned, I would prefer him to play on a wing rather than in the forward line...


Why doesn't Eade play Hill on a wing anymore?

I really don't think Eade makes enough changes during a game. If something isn't working, change it. Murphy should have been moved to the forward half long before he was. Welsh should have been pushed back.

Pretty frustrating.

Especially when Eagleton got 9 possessions. Why couldn't Hill be shifted onto a wing?

Agree with both of you. I think Hill is a turnover weapon, floating in for marks and chasing guys down. His marking is useful up forward but not if he is going to wrestle, this has been a problem going back to the West Coast game getting manhandled by Darren Glass. Half forward or wing for mine, Murphy to go forward and Welsh, Hahn or Minson at Full Forward

[Sedat]

Scarily accurate as always SS
Just because he is criticised for what was IMO an extremely disappointing performance from a defensive intensity perspective, doesn't mean he will become the next whipping boy. Just 6 days earlier he put in a fantastic display of defensive intensity that should set the benchmark for the future, but unfortunately on Friday night this intensity was completely missing, and in a game where we dominated clearances and inside 50's, our lack of defensive effort in the forward half stood out like dog's balls.

[Stefcep]

Why doesn't Eade play Hill on a wing anymore?

I really don't think Eade makes enough changes during a game. If something isn't working, change it. Murphy should have been moved to the forward half long before he was. Welsh should have been pushed back.

Pretty frustrating.

Especially when Eagleton got 9 possessions. Why couldn't Hill be shifted onto a wing?

Your right about Eade. Malthouse did his homework. He knew we can kill the game off in the first quarter if we got a run on, so he flooded his backline, and when the turnover came, they got us on the counter. You beat that tactic by moving the ball forward quickly to leading forwards, like Murphy or Higgins not floaters to the likes of Welsh and Hahn.

Hill to the wing and Eagle on a forward flank or pocket was an option.

[Stefcep]

Just because he is criticised for what was IMO an extremely disappointing performance from a defensive intensity perspective, doesn't mean he will become the next whipping boy. Just 6 days earlier he put in a fantastic display of defensive intensity that should set the benchmark for the future, but unfortunately on Friday night this intensity was completely missing, and in a game where we dominated clearances and inside 50's, our lack of defensive effort in the forward half stood out like dog's balls.

he always looks so f'en casual about everything he does, not sure if thats his "style" or if he's half interested

[soupman]

There were two major changes that should have been made at half time last night: Hill to the wing and Murphy up forward. Only the Murphy one happened and that was only in the last quarter.

Hill is a player who struggles when given a good aerial defender. Hill is not a leading forward, his strengths are floating into a marking contest and using his leap, or his excellent ability to gather the ball. His instructions should be simple, when on a defender like O'Brien and playing up forward, don't fly for marks but push out of the hot spot, only to double back for the crumb. He's shown he's clean enough to do this, and this puts blokes like O'Brien on the back foot. However, when on the players who are less able to match him in the air, he needs to go for his marks.

And I think he should be rotated off the wing. We know he has great endurance, and he's shown he can find space and pass the football nicely to leading forwards. He's even arguably turned games on the wing (see very early 2008), and could pose a bigger threat to opposition if he was more than just our skinny forward pocket.

[The Coon Dog]

There were two major changes that should have been made at half time last night: Hill to the wing and Murphy up forward. Only the Murphy one happened and that was only in the last quarter.

Murphy did go up forward, but when Harbrow got beaten by Leon Davis in the 3rd quarter, Murph went back onto him & quietened him.

[Desipura]

Murphy did go up forward, but when Harbrow got beaten by Leon Davis in the 3rd quarter, Murph went back onto him & quietened him.
Exactly right, I thought this was a wrong move imho. Malthouse would have been rapt to see Bobby go back and be accountable to Davis. Hargreave was my choice to go on him.
I thought we were outcoached on Friday night for the first 3 quarters.

[Scorlibo]

Exactly right, I thought this was a wrong move imho. Malthouse would have been rapt to see Bobby go back and be accountable to Davis. Hargreave was my choice to go on him.
I thought we were outcoached on Friday night for the first 3 quarters.

I agree, the defensive matchups and the management of Didak and Davis were poor. It looked as though Picken started on Didak, then was moved onto Swan, which was a stupid move imo, we didn't tag Mitchell or Cornes, we tagged Bateman and Pearce, and Picken has been tagging the running deliverers all season. Once he moved off Didak, Didak started to cut us up and his tag had no effect on Swan.

[boydogs]

I agree, the defensive matchups and the management of Didak and Davis were poor. It looked as though Picken started on Didak, then was moved onto Swan, which was a stupid move imo, we didn't tag Mitchell or Cornes, we tagged Bateman and Pearce, and Picken has been tagging the running deliverers all season. Once he moved off Didak, Didak started to cut us up and his tag had no effect on Swan.

Yep, Didak's 6 bounces on the wing long to Davis who marked and goaled should not have happened, if we had Gilbee, Hargrave or Morris instead of Harbrow on Davis (too strong overhead compared to crumbers Harbrow is suited against) or a hard tag on Didak we could have stopped that goal and the momentum that came with it

[Mofra]

Hill to the wing and Eagle on a forward flank or pocket was an option.
Eagle went forward at the start of the 3rd quarter. I really don't like Eagle forward as he is one of the worst in the side in terms of overhead ability. His two weapons are gut-running & a his left boot when allowed a handball receive or run onto the open ball. The F50 offers him nothing.

[Mantis]

Eagle went forward at the start of the 3rd quarter. I really don't like Eagle forward as he is one of the worst in the side in terms of overhead ability. His two weapons are gut-running & a his left boot when allowed a handball receive or run onto the open ball. The F50 offers him nothing.

He started the game in the forward line as well. Not sure if he was playing a defensive type role like he was playing earlier in the season, but his effect on the game was minimal to say the least.

[Mofra]

but his effect on the game was minimal to say the least.
Ditto last week, but 9 possessions from one of the senior guys is more than a little disappointing. His position in the team could be at risk if he plays another shocker.

Back to the topic, Josh seems to have Eagle covered in almost every aspect of his game except for perhaps penetration with a long kick.