Bradley Hill

[toomanysquibs]

The obvious skills and superlative athletic ability aside, it's the rapid development of his footy nous that is so exciting. Bundle it all together - as he appears to have done thus far - and you have a very exciting player waiting to make an impact.

That nous was even evident last year, when he was just brilliant on a couple of occasions getting to the right spot to receive the ball in space, then running the pill from the back half to the front half. It was Leroy Jetta calibre, slingshot stuff, albeit against softish opposition.

For everyone saying he skirted it last year, he was only following instruction to stay outside, which was fairly sensible given his frame.

If he's developed as Grizz says he has, he'll already be better than Young. Don't get me wrong I loved Youngy, and saw what he brought to the table in a team that often had zero run without him. H

But this kid has something else - call it x factor or whatever, but he just knows how to get the ball in his hands, and then move it at speed.

 

[Great 2008]

His PE teacher said in an article that she thought Bradley was a more natural footballer than his brother when he was drafted. Can he win the rising star? (Would be nice)

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

He and Savage are both fighting for the one spot in our team at present, IMHO. Can't wait to see how they both go in the NAB Cup.

 

[Prudster]

He and Savage are both fighting for the one spot in our team at present, IMHO. Can't wait to see how they both go in the NAB Cup.

I disagree. With Whitey out for most of the year, there is that spot up for grabs, as well as Young's spot (perhaps one taken by Lake). Then there is the spot that one of them usually took most weeks as the sub. We also rarely have our best 22 out there, so i wouldn't be surprised to see both get a fair few games this year, as they would be 2 of the first to come in.

 

[Ordovician]

How do we rate this bloke?
Without Clinton Young, it seems to me that we'll need his kid's outside run, but is he good, really good or just a list-filler? There's not much of him, but he seemed to show a bit in his five games last year.

For a slightly built outside player about to embark on his second season he looks very good.

He has pace and real endurance which is very rare for a player so young.

He is a reasonably good kick for some one who has such an awkward looking ball drop.

He has very clean hands and is very quick at picking the ball up.

Last year at VFL level he was chasing and laying tackles.

Most importantly he has filled out a lot over summer.

All of the above are very good signs and progress to date hads been very solid.

 

[Brant]

I've barely seen the kid but I think he has the ability to use his pace to cut through traffic*, much like Changa used to do (or Stephen Hill does) more than he is a complete outsider like Young was. Does anyone else get the impression that traffic doesn't bother him so much?




*Clean hands & confidence with disposal makes a player seem less worried about those around them... Maybe I just took his confidence to mean that he wasn't overawed by opponents etc.

 

[Brant]

Frankly, I'm just excited to have an outside player with pace who doesn't try to load up & kick every ball 80m. I think Hill is far more about the 30m pass than the 80m bomb.

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

I disagree. With Whitey out for most of the year, there is that spot up for grabs, as well as Young's spot (perhaps one taken by Lake). Then there is the spot that one of them usually took most weeks as the sub. We also rarely have our best 22 out there, so i wouldn't be surprised to see both get a fair few games this year, as they would be 2 of the first to come in.

I see it slightly differently.

From our GF team we lose Young and gain Guerra and Lake.

Maybe Pops drops out and Burgers goes forward to offset the Goo role.

That leaves Hill and Ossie fighting to get in to the team. Not sure who they replace...

Would love to see all three of Smith, Savage and Hill playing well and in our best 21 though.

 

[Brant]

I see it slightly differently.

From our GF team we lose Young and gain Guerra and Lake.

Maybe Pops drops out and Burgers goes forward to offset the Goo role.

That leaves Hill and Ossie fighting to get in to the team. Not sure who they replace...

Would love to see all three of Smith, Savage and Hill playing well and in our best 21 though.

Don't forget Whitecross mate - he's a lock.

 

[Hodgepodge]

Any pics of Hill and how he has filled out?

 

[tommyk72]

Don't forget Whitecross mate - he's a lock.

When do we expect him back though? Not until post round 18 I would guess?

I would also think Ellis would be very lucky to hold his spot for round 1.

 

[Brant]

When do we expect him back though? Not until post round 18 I would guess?

I would also think Ellis would be very lucky to hold his spot for round 1.

Not that late I don't think. My understanding is that the injury is "season ending" by nature in that it generally rules the player out for the rest of the season - I don't think it actually takes a 52-week year to recover from. I hope he'll be back mid-year.

 

[WWSD]

Don't forget Whitecross mate - he's a lock.

What do reckon Whitecross role will be when he gets back? Do you think he will play in a variety of roles or will he settle into a position? We missed him badly in those last two finals

 

[WWSD]

Any pics of Hill and how he has filled out?

Brad Hill has put on 8kg since arriving at the Club. He is listed as 78kg now on the HFC website, compared to 70kg this time last year.

 

[tommyk72]

Not that late I don't think. My understanding is that the injury is "season ending" by nature in that it generally rules the player out for the rest of the season - I don't think it actually takes a 52-week year to recover from. I hope he'll be back mid-year.

Fair call. Hopefully sooner rather than later for all of our sakes.

 

[Prudster]

I see it slightly differently.

From our GF team we lose Young and gain Guerra and Lake.

Maybe Pops drops out and Burgers goes forward to offset the Goo role.

That leaves Hill and Ossie fighting to get in to the team. Not sure who they replace...

Would love to see all three of Smith, Savage and Hill playing well and in our best 21 though.

If Ellis plays most weeks, then i will either be extremely happy, or extremely disappointed. It either means he has saved his career and is making something of himself, or it means we are once again playing him when we shouldn't. I also have doubts over whether Hodge will play more than half the season. Either way, with the best 22 rarely available, and hopefully we will rest players more often, i can see Hill playing most games, as he and Savage will be 2 of the first in to the team (assuming Hill has improved from last season, as others have mentioned).

I think we may see a player from our back line get dropped. I have to wonder how we will function by replacing Young with Lake, and playing four talls in defence. For a team who has a perceived weakness in pace and run, losing Young could be huge if we don't replace him appropriately. As you said, Puopolo could also make way. Hill has more upside than Poppy, and i wonder if he or Savage could play that same role, putting on pressure.

Either way, i think both Savage and Hill are in our best 25, which should see them both play plenty of games.

 

[tommyk72]

Not that late I don't think. My understanding is that the injury is "season ending" by nature in that it generally rules the player out for the rest of the season - I don't think it actually takes a 52-week year to recover from. I hope he'll be back mid-year.

Fair call. Hopefully sooner rather than later for all of our sakes.

 

[Brant]

What do reckon Whitecross role will be when he gets back? Do you think he will play in a variety of roles or will he settle into a position? We missed him badly in those last two finals

I'd like to see him HFF again. He covers ground very well & is good at turning his opponent inside out. By that I mean that he covers them off defensively when approaching the ball, turns them during the contest & comes out the other side both with the ball & on the correct side to be attacking. He's very strong through the core & has great balance so he doesn't go to ground often. He's not a booming kick but weighs them pretty well so I'd prefer him passing from HF than bombing in long from the wings. All that stuff screams HFF to me.

He's got a great tank & learnt a defensive game during those (somewhat frustrating) years as a BP/HBF so I think he keeps a fairly close eye on opposition HBF's that would otherwise run quite freely. Also, he's pretty smart with his positioning. I don't see him inside 50m very often which suggests to me he knows his role well & doesn't get caught up trying to win it off his own boot etc...

Gotta be HFF rotating through the midfield.

 

[WWSD]

I'd like to see him HFF again. He covers ground very well & is good at turning his opponent inside out. By that I mean that he covers them off defensively when approaching the ball, turns them during the contest & comes out the other side both with the ball & on the correct side to be attacking. He's very strong through the core & has great balance so he doesn't go to ground often. He's not a booming kick but weighs them pretty well so I'd prefer him passing from HF than bombing in long from the wings. All that stuff screams HFF to me.

He's got a great tank & learnt a defensive game during those (somewhat frustrating) years as a BP/HBF so I think he keeps a fairly close eye on opposition HBF's that would otherwise run quite freely. Also, he's pretty smart with his positioning. I don't see him inside 50m very often which suggests to me he knows his role well & doesn't get caught up trying to win it off his own boot etc...

Gotta be HFF rotating through the midfield.

Good post.

I like Whitecross versatility. He plays well in any position, whether it be back/midfield or forward. When he played in the midfield a lot early in the year, he was impressive with his in & under work, as well as having another strong body around the midfield. He has improved a lot in his defense side of his game, as well as attacking. Impressive young player is Whitecross.

 

[cs61]

When is Whitecross expected to be back?

 

[illnino]

Pretty sure it was originally intended to be round 11, but I hear he's tracking fairly well in his recovery so who knows...

 

[Sailor]

Please make sure that the club develop him properly so that when he returns home to Freo next year to play with his brother he is at AFL standard already.
We will be most appreciative!!!

 

[Flukey!]

I would also think Ellis would be very lucky to hold his spot for round 1.

Nobody "holds" their spot for R1. Pre-season form will dictate who does and does not play.

 

[Hungry Hawk]

Please make sure that the club develop him properly so that when he returns home to Freo next year to play with his brother he is at AFL standard already.
We will be most appreciative!!!

His brother will likely be requesting a trade to Waverly after the purple circle jerkers fail to to deliver again.

 

[hfc70]

Please make sure that the club develop him properly so that when he returns home to Freo next year to play with his brother he is at AFL standard already.
We will be most appreciative!!!

In exchange for Fyfe.......