Bradley Hill returns to the senior St Kilda side this week after being dropped for the previous round, with his replacement being a player whose prototype was Hill himself, in Liam Henry. Hill deserves a spot in a 22 at some team or another in the AFL, as his talents are still highly useful when put in the right role with supply suited to his tireless outside running. Ross Lyon trusted him enough to retain him in his second coaching stint at the Saints but, like Zak Jones, questions remain about whether old stagers are worth giving spots to at this stage in the club's development.
Bradley Hill returns to the senior St Kilda side this week after being dropped for the previous round, with his replacement being a player whose prototype was Hill himself, in Liam Henry. Hill deserves a spot in a 22 at some team or another in the AFL, as his talents are still highly useful when put in the right role with supply suited to his tireless outside running. Ross Lyon trusted him enough to retain him in his second coaching stint at the Saints but, like Zak Jones, questions remain about whether old stagers are worth giving spots to at this stage in the club's development.
Bradley Hill has not found his true position at St Kilda since transferring from Fremantle, having made his name at Hawthorn running tirelessly off a wing. He started 2022 on a half back flank which at least allowed him space to run, but last round he was tried on a half forward flank and saluted with three goals in a best-on-ground performance. Is this his new permanent position, and can he keep up this scoring pace? He doesn't play teams as poor as Hawthorn was every week. He has a certain limited skill set which can rise and fall depending on ball supply.
Hill reaches flatlands
Three-time premiership player and 2017 Doig medallist Bradley Hill arrives at his third club as a classy winger primed to bring run and carry to the Saints midfield. The ex-Hawk and Docker played every game in 2019, producing a career-high disposal count loping around the boundary at Perth and ranking eighth across the competition for metres gained. Hill's one wood is cruising, making it look effortless as he presents again and again using his insanely tuned aerobic engine. A consistent fantasy scorer since crossing the Nullarbor, the Saint demands respect in fantasy circles with a new and probably lucrative home on the fast track of Docklands. Select in the latter rounds as enviable midfield depth.
Clear skiing for Hill
An elite runner, Bradley Hill has capitalised on the open expanses of Perth since his move from Hawthorn. His career-best 2017 was always going to be tough to follow up and an early season knee injury slowed him down. Hill hates to handball but we as fantasy coaches love that about the wingman, who tied with Nathan Wilson for kicks per game. Hill has stated that he’s at peak fitness heading into 2019 and looks set to regain his best form in that we saw two years ago. With a fit Nat Fyfe shoveling the ball out to him, Hill would make a formidable addition to any fantasy midfield. Draft this bloke in middle rounds, as he is due a bounce back season.
Over the Hill and far away
Winning the best & fairest in the first year at a new club is the way to do it, and ex-Hawk Bradley Hill produced his best in his sixth season in lifting his fantasy average by just on 20 points. He blew out his personal bests in disposals and marks, and pushed his kick-to-handball ratio out even further than it had been at 16:7. He had the least contested possessions per game (4) than anyone in the top 30 for kicks. Hill's natural game is running to receive on the outside, and few in the competition can match him for work rate when he's on. Pundits often waxed lyrical about how well suited this or that running player would be to the long wings at Subiaco, and in Hill we have the embodiment of that cliche. His disposal efficiency is still low considering how often he kicks in space, but weight of leather counts after a while. He is a solid middle round pick.
