Stephen Hill

[clogged]

Has clearly gone past Barlow to be the third best midfielder at the club. Quickly chasing down Mundy. Stats don't tell the whole story but they given an illustration. In almost every stat is he bettering himself and posting elite numbers.

Disposals: Averaging 23.2 per game - +4 per game on previous best for a season
Contested possessions: 9.6 per game - +1 per game on previous best for a season
Clearances: 3.9 per game - career best numbers
Inside 50s: 5.7 per game - +1.5 game on previous best for a season

But these are the two things that stand out for me

12 goals from 13 games - that's getting towards the goal per game level that makes an elite midfielder of the competition. Has had games of high scores too - 2, 3 and 4 goal games demonstrates an ability to dominate other teams.
15.3 kicks per game - +5 per game on previous best for a season. That is enormous

All of his increase in possession has come via kicking the ball more. His kick to handball ratio is 2:1 (before it was something like 5:4). That is a massive transformation in how he plays. This has come while building his inside game. He's not just getting more possession on the outside, but on the inside as well.

I was concerned in the preseason by moments where he refused to take the game on. It suggested that he still didn't have the confidence to beat the rest of the plodders from the opposition out there. He is more talented than just about everyone on the list bar Fyfe. It seems this year he has started to figure that out.

His continued emergence is the key to this years premiership.

 

[valkorum]

It also helps that he is not getting tagged every week like he was for the first years of his career

 

[strobe00]

Nice to see. I thought you had it in for Hilly in this and a prior guise.

The other thing that has changed is that teams have stupidly been paying more attention to Fyfe than Hilly when selecting who to tag. Hilly's contested, tackling and inside work has taken another step up... and that's made him harder to shut down than in past years, when all the tagger had to do was to stay with him and keep him from picking up outside possessions.

His confidence is up, which is a huge thing for him. The talent has always been there... the self belief looked like it was on hiatus for a while, when he was being perma-tagged. I think teams will start switching their tag back to him if they haven't already. But with the confidence he's built and the extra strings he's added to his bow it mightn't have the same impact it would have in past years.

 

[Seppo]

Taken the game on is the bit that has shown he has stepped up from last year.

Nothing irked me more when he could have had a crack but then he would hesitate and look to pass it off.

Could be destined for a top 5 finish in the B&F.

 

[Dockernut]

Has clearly gone past Barlow to be the third best midfielder at the club. Quickly chasing down Mundy. Stats don't tell the whole story but they given an illustration. In almost every stat is he bettering himself and posting elite numbers.

Disposals: Averaging 23.2 per game - +4 per game on previous best for a season
Contested possessions: 9.6 per game - +1 per game on previous best for a season
Clearances: 3.9 per game - career best numbers
Inside 50s: 5.7 per game - +1.5 game on previous best for a season

But these are the two things that stand out for me

12 goals from 13 games - that's getting towards the goal per game level that makes an elite midfielder of the competition. Has had games of high scores too - 2, 3 and 4 goal seasons demonstrates an ability to dominate other teams.
15.3 kicks per game - +5 per game on previous best for a season. That is enormous

All of his increase in possession has come via kicking the ball more. His kick to handball ratio 2:1 (before it was something like 5:4). That is a massive transformation in how he plays. This has

I was concerned in the preseason by moments where he refused to take the game on. It suggested that he still didn't have the confidence to beat the rest of the plodders from the opposition out there. He is more talented than just about everyone on the list bar Fyfe. It seems this year he has started to figure that out.

His continued emergence is the key to this years premiership.

Big turn around for you Clay, but right on the money. He's having a terrific year.

 

[Tazmania]

His brother has lifted this year so I wonder how much is the sibling rivalry thing of always being better. Whatever it is I'm happy with it.

 

[calaisking]

Surely teams will start tagging Hilly again. He is so much more damaging then the rest of our mids when it comes to disposal

No point tagging Fyfe or Mundy, they will shake it. Barlow isn't really taggable either

 

[Purplrrr]

There was some thread a whole back guessing who might get aa, but no one mentioned hill. I think he's been amazing this year, and would have to be up there in consideration. His impact on games is outstanding.

I love Stephen hill. May be extremely biased.

 

[strobe00]

Dunstall (I think) did a piece on him... apparently when Hilly gets 25 touches or more we win 94% of our games. When he gets less than 25 we run at 49%.

The 50:50 result for less than 25 touches seems a bit suspicious to me. But they're astounding stats if true. Smart coaches tag Hill.

http://www.fremantlefc.com.au/video/2014-07-02/secret-weapon-hill

EDIT: Was Healy.

 

[clogged]

It also helps that he is not getting tagged every week like he was for the first years of his career

I reckon he's not getting tagged because he's becoming too difficult to tag. Also, he only really got thrashed by two opponents - Rawlings and Clint Jones. The rest of his poor performances were from lack of belief in his own ability rather than strictly being shutdown.

Nice to see. I thought you had it in for Hilly in this and a prior guise.

My issue with him has always been that he has never realised that he has more talent in his left boot than 95% of the rest of the comp has in their entire being. Everything else has been there - work rate, skills, commitment, etc. Except his belief. He is believing now.

Could be destined for a top 5 finish in the B&F.

Could just about win it.

 

[clivenator26]

He is our barometer for sure and would be the first bloke I would tag, Fyfe is our best mid but is such a hard match up due to his hard ball winning and aerial capacity. Mundy is also fairly hard because of his inside work and size. Hill has increased his inside work and is a tall body but has noticeably bulked up.

Hill has never polled more than 4 votes in the Brownlow, I reckon he will give Fyfe & Sandi a shake at most votes for us due to his increased goal kicking and possession tallies.

Laughable that some people regard Brad as the better Hill, Stephen has copped tags from almost the start of his career.

 

[Tazmania]

My issue with him has always been that he has never realised that he has more talent in his left boot than 95% of the rest of the comp has in their entire being. Everything else has been there - work rate, skills, commitment, etc. Except his belief. He is believing now.

 

[DeanS]

Hard to believe that at the start of the year you could get 150/1 on him for the Brownlow. Not saying he'll win it but those odds are ridiculous.

 

[Nickos66]

Lets see how Brad's first 2 years would've gone if he was drafted to a developing side and tagged from the age of 18.

Loving Hilly's game at the moment, it's a joy to watch him play with a little more confidence to back himself in those tight situations.

 

[BananaOnTheRun]

His brother has lifted this year so I wonder how much is the sibling rivalry thing of always being better. Whatever it is I'm happy with it.
View attachment 65605

I reckon sibling rivalry is a massive factor. There's a timidity to Stephen that Brad doesn't have and I think seeing his little bro win a flag has loosened some of Stephen's own self-imposed shackles a little bit.

 

[leungtl]

Just a pure joy to watch.

 

[mattis117]

One of the most enjoyable players to watch in the AFL. An incredible mix of skill, pace and poise.

 

[pavsbootlace]

I reckon he's not getting tagged because he's becoming too difficult to tag. Also, he only really got thrashed by two opponents - Rawlings and Clint Jones. The rest of his poor performances were from lack of belief in his own ability rather than strictly being shutdown.

He also struggled against Liam Picken. I definitely agree that he's becoming difficult to tag. But, Fyfe demands attention as well which leaves oppo coaches with a tough choice to make.

 

[clogged]

He also struggled against Liam Picken. I definitely agree that he's becoming difficult to tag. But, Fyfe demands attention as well which leaves oppo coaches with a tough choice to make.

I'd still tag Hill. Cut his 15 kicks per game back to 10, half his inside 50s, and you've made a massive impact on Freo's ability to hurt you.

Fyfe is definitely the superior player, but his ability to win the ball inside as well as float forward and take a contested mark make tagging him somewhat pointless.

Instead, coaches aren't bothering with stopping Hill. Or maybe they are and it isn't working. The fact he is playing more inside helps - anyone who goes to him will be beaten in congestion by Hill's superior breakaway pace and agility. Plus this midfield is the first one in Freo's history that blocks for their teammates.

 

[ozzie69]

You have to bare in mind that when he started with us, Hill was talented and fast but weighed in at I think 72 kg. He was always going to get tossed about by bigger bodies. It has taken a number of years, but he is no longer a skinny kid and I believe he is now starting to realise this.

 

[strobe00]

I reckon he's not getting tagged because he's becoming too difficult to tag. Also, he only really got thrashed by two opponents - Rawlings and Clint Jones. The rest of his poor performances were from lack of belief in his own ability rather than strictly being shutdown.

Interesting arguments. I completely disagree with the first. You tag the guy who you can have the most impact on, and who is most critical to the team's performance. That has been Hilly. Anyone's influence can be limited by a very good tagger.

I can only assume he's not getting tagged because teams have forgotten how damaging he can be, and they've been putting more time into Fyfe. PearceD being in the team helps as well as the team has another guy that is genuinely quick, and can provide run and carry through the midfield, so even if they lock Hilly down they're leaving PearceD open.

The rest of his poor performances were from lack of belief in his own ability rather than strictly being shutdown.

Do you have an inside line to his subconscious? How do you know this? This is a Coulda-style statement of an opinion as if it was fact.

The two things are connected. His belief in his own ability was obviously going to be impacted by having a guy clamped onto him all game. Crowley has proved that you don't need to utterly shut a guy down to significantly remove his impact from the game.

Hill was tagged from early on in his career (like Wells) and has taken time to build his fitness and his game to the point where he can still contribute effectively despite the tag. Being confident while running around without a tag is a different thing to being confident in your ability to beat a tagger. Something his little brother will come to learn in the coming years.

 

[Freeeoo]

Love the ball in this guys hands, something good allways comes of it.

 

[Lach72]

That kick to Mzungu on the weekend...

 

[clogged]

Do you have an inside line to his subconscious? How do you know this? This is a Coulda-style statement of an opinion as if it was fact.

I can only assume he's not getting tagged because teams have forgotten how damaging he can be, and they've been putting more time into Fyfe.

These two statements are incompatible.

I can have an insight into his belief in his own football ability based on the manner in which he plays. What makes you surmise that all AFL coaches have collectively forgotten how talented he is?

That's a terrifying bout of amnesia. Is it contagious?

You cited Gerard Healy. Where do you think he gets his stats? The same place the coaches do.

 

[E Shed]

The thing is when teams don't start with a hard tag on Fyfe he takes the game away from you in the first quarter.
Like Ross said, you choose your poison.

I for one couldn't be prouder of what the once shy young S Hill is achieving and I too have no doubt the sibling rivalry is what has finally put things into perspective for him. His pissant little brother showing him up. You can see in the interviews with Brad he's a cheeky little so and so and he jokes about Stephen always being better but he reckons he's catching up. Perspective. If my little brother can kick ass in the AFL then I bloody well can too.
That and the gun mids we have now spreading the attention of the opposition.

Nice to see some credit from Clay who I believe once called me a mediocrity accepting sycophant for suggesting Hill might need a bit of time to mature.