Stephen Hill (Australian footballer) explained

Stephen Hill
Fullname:Stephen Hill
Birth Date:1 May 1990
Originalteam:West Perth (WAFL)
Draftpick:3rd overall, 2008
Fremantle
Debutdate:Round 1, 2009
Debutstadium:Subiaco Oval
Height:183 cm
Weight:82 kg
Position:Midfielder
Years1:2009–2021
Games Goals1:218 (112)
Statsend:2021
Careerhighlights:

2015

Stephen Hill (born 1 May 1990) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).

Junior career

Hill played for West Perth in the WAFL and represented Western Australian in the 2008 AFL Under 18 Championships and after playing some very impressive games was named in the Under 18 All-Australian Team.[1] He was originally tipped to be drafted later in the draft,[2] but in the week leading up to the draft it was widely predicted that Fremantle would select him before Subiaco's Daniel Rich.[3]

AFL career

Hill was drafted with 's first pick, the third overall, in the 2008 AFL Draft.[4] He made his debut during Round 1 of the 2009 AFL season against the Western Bulldogs, kicking a goal with his first kick in AFL football, courtesy of a 50-metre penalty.[5] Hill had some quiet games before playing his best game in the round 6 Western Derby against the Eagles. Hill gathered 21 possessions, 2 goals and a game high 7 inside 50s in Fremantle's come from behind win,[6] which saw him earn the AFL Rising Star nomination for round 6.[7] In the same game he also polled the 3 Brownlow votes as best on ground.

Hill improved dramatically over his career at Fremantle, an example being his ability to think quickly and efficiently during games, attributed by his often surges of fast speed when possessing the ball. Hill retired from AFL in August 2021 after an injury plagued season.[8]

Personal life

Until he was drafted by Fremantle, Hill supported the West Coast Eagles.[1] Hill is the older brother of former teammate Bradley Hill and second cousin of former Western Bulldogs and West Coast forward Joshua Hill.[9]

The 2013 AFL Grand Final saw the Hill brothers become the first siblings to play against each other in a Grand Final since the 1912 VFL Grand Final.

Statistics

Statistics are correct to the end of the 2021 season[10]

|-|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2009|style="text-align:center;"|| 32 || 22 || 9 || 7 || 155 || 170 || 325 || 69 || 60 || 0.6 || 0.5 || 7.0 || 7.7 || 14.8 || 3.1 || 2.7|-! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2010|style="text-align:center;"|| 32 || 23 || 19 || 15 || 206 || 193 || 399 || 61 || 61 || 0.8 || 0.6 || 9.0 || 8.4 || 17.4 || 2.6 || 2.6|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2011|style="text-align:center;"|| 32 || 22 || 15 || 13 || 213 || 172 || 385 || 67 || 53 || 0.7 || 0.6 || 9.7 || 7.8 || 17.5 || 3.0 || 2.4|-! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2012|style="text-align:center;"|| 32 || 22 || 10 || 13 || 230 || 160 || 390 || 53 || 70 || 0.4 || 0.6 || 10.4 || 7.3 || 17.7 || 2.4 || 3.2|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2013|style="text-align:center;"|| 32 || 19 || 12 || 7 || 206 || 158 || 364 || 52 || 49 || 0.6 || 0.4 || 10.8 || 8.3 || 19.2 || 2.7 || 2.6|-! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2014|style="text-align:center;"|| 32 || 20 || 18 || 11 || 303 || 140 || 443 || 53 || 56 || 0.9 || 0.6 || 15.2 || 7.0 || 22.2 || 2.6 || 2.8|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2015|style="text-align:center;"|| 32 || 23 || 17 || 10 || 362 || 190 || 552 || 88 || 67 || 0.7 || 0.4 || 15.7 || 8.3 || 24.0 || 3.8 || 2.9|-! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2016|style="text-align:center;"|| 32 || 21 || 4 || 7 || 332 || 190 || 522 || 63 || 81 || 0.2 || 0.3 || 15.8 || 9.0 || 24.9 || 3.0 || 3.9|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2017|style="text-align:center;"|| 32 || 18 || 4 || 3 || 245 || 139 || 384 || 48 || 67 || 0.2 || 0.2 || 13.6 || 7.7 || 21.3 || 2.7 || 3.7|-! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2018|style="text-align:center;"|| 32 || 13 || 3 || 2 || 153 || 86 || 239 || 52 || 40 || 0.2 || 0.2 || 11.8 || 6.6 || 18.4 || 4.0 || 3.1|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2019|style="text-align:center;"|| 32 || 3 || 1 || 0 || 17 || 18 || 35 || 4 || 5 || 0.3 || 0.0 || 5.7 || 6.0 || 11.7 || 1.3 || 1.7|-! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2020|style="text-align:center;"|| 32 || 12 || 0 || 0 || 96 || 61 || 157 || 40 || 21 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 8.0 || 5.1 || 13.1 || 3.3 || 1.8|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2021|style="text-align:center;"|| 32 || 0 ||–||–||–||–|| – || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || –|- class="sortbottom"! colspan=3| Career! 218! 112! 88! 2518! 1677! 4195! 650! 630! 0.5! 0.4! 11.6! 7.7! 19.2! 3.0! 2.9|}

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Draft countdown: Stephen Hill. https://web.archive.org/web/20110524195705/http://www.afl.com.au/News/NEWSARTICLE/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=69339. dead. 24 May 2011. Broad. Ben. afl.com. 7 November 2008. 29 November 2008.
  2. Web site: Essendon set to swoop on West Perth quick Stephen Hill. Clark. Jay. 8 November 2008. PerthNow. 29 November 2008.
  3. Web site: Dockers settle on Hill with a proviso. O’Donoghue. Craig. 27 November 2008. The West Australian. 29 November 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20081203093907/http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=12&ContentID=110272. 3 December 2008.
  4. News: Stephen Hill Squad. 22 December 2022. fremantlefc.com.au. en.
  5. Washbourne, Michael (29 March 2009) Fremantle slump to 63-point loss to Bulldogs in round one; PerthNow
  6. Kim Hagdorn (3 May 2009) Fremantle Dockers offload West Coast Eagles; Herald Sun
  7. http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,25431129-23211,00.html Fremantle's Stephen Hill awarded round six Rising Star nomination
  8. Web site: Fremantle Dockers veteran Stephen Hill announces retirement after injury-plagued career The West Australian.
  9. Web site: Hill v Hill as cousins clash - The West Australian . au.news.yahoo.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160305134805/https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sport/afl/a/14447089/hill-v-hill-as-cousins-clash/ . 2016-03-05.
  10. http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/S/Stephen_Hill.html Stephen Hill's player profile at AFL Tables