Hill is SOFT

[sks023]

Should get dropped and told to find some of his own footy.

[MCG-Unit]

He's one of the most skillful players on our list, and wasn't recruited for his hardness, or tackling, so I don't know why everyone expects him to be Jack Steele or Lenny Hayes. Ok, so he's down on form (not alone), and dropped an easy mark last night, but we've seen how good he is, and why we recruited him, in our best wins. He's not going to be any good for us playing for Sandringham.

Skilled outside types are ok. They can't all be in and under, or tackling machines.
However what's not negotiable, is you must at least hold your ground in a contest - not move sideways or stick your arm out.
It's a rank look for us and I imagine the playing group. I would rather he conceded a free.
Applying the odd tackle is helpful as well.

[sunsaint]

think you would be hard pressed even saying he is one of our most skilful players - he manages to shank a few
And fair from it for someone like me to call him soft - these guys would break me like twig out on the ground
BUT his failure to make a contest and lay a tackle - is NOT acceptable

[Impatient Sainter]

I cant believe people making excuses for him? You don't have to be a super star to lay tackles anyone can do that with the right attitude. There are no excuses with his speed and agility, tackling should be a weapon that he brings every week. But he is absolutely frightened of body contact, he hates it.

I said it in last weeks game thread that Hill makes Aaron Fiora look like Lenny Hayes.

[Cordz2]

Alright, I don’t think there’s two sides of this like flipping a coin heads your hard as nails (Lenny Hayes) and tails you’re soft as butter (any of us saintsational lounge chair critics on an AFL football field.) in the 1980s I reckon everyone had to be at least a 7 to get a regular senior game. Today that’s probably a six. If a team works hard together they see someone not putting their body on the line (ESPECIALLY THE HIGHEST PAID PLAYER ON THE LIST) it makes others question if they should given - like Hill, their pay is guaranteed through contracts for most of them. Taking the piss is contagious and create a poor culture. Premierships are won by having team 1st no exceptions. You cannot have exceptions no matter what they paid.
So on the scale of 1 to 10 for hardness I’ve give Hill a three for what he’s given us this year. I don’t know what he was when he played for Hawthorn or Freo you would hope that he would’ve been at least a five or a six but this year and last year he’s been going at a 3 out of 10 for hardness. I don’t care what your skills are you were going to hurt the entire team ethos and unity if you’re gifted games and you’re not prepared to put yourself at risk or go hard when it’s your turn. That is putting me before we. It’s the coaching and selection committee who are to blame for letting that go.

[bigred]

A few things.

My first thoughts in the bile fuelled rage after last week's loss was that Hill had to go have a run at Sandy. Get a lazy fourty touches, probably four goals etc etc etc...

Now Ratts has made a rod for his own back by categorically stating that he wont drop him.

So, from the club point of view, we stand by him.

The only risk we have is that the group gets the s***s up with him. But he's definitely well liked and I doubt any of them would want to see the media shyt show that would be bundled up in the situation if we dropped him.

Play him into form. Confidence player. Get him some **** confidence.

Stop s*** canning our own.

Easy target scapegoating.

[saynta]

think you would be hard pressed even saying he is one of our most skilful players - he manages to shank a few
And fair from it for someone like me to call him soft - these guys would break me like twig out on the ground
BUT his failure to make a contest and lay a tackle - is NOT acceptable

I used to love tackling. rubbing guys faces in the mud. Come on Hilly you might get to like it.