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Injury curse forces Freo winger Hill to retire




Fremantle wingman Stephen Hill has referred to as time on his AFL profession after succumbing to an extended record of accidents over the previous 4 seasons.

Hill has battled a collection of hamstring points which have stored him sidelined all through 2021, having made simply 28 appearances within the earlier three seasons.

But the 31-year-old leaves the Dockers with fond recollections from a 218-game profession.

Drafted at No.3 total in 2008, Hill will arguably be greatest remembered for kicking the sealer in Fremantle’s well-known qualifying last win at Geelong in 2013, which earnt the membership its first house preliminary last.

The quick and skilful wingman was an integral a part of the Dockers facet that reached the grand last that yr.

“I’d just like to thank the football club for giving me the opportunity, they drafted me and it allowed me to live out my childhood dream of playing AFL, it’s been an amazing journey,” Hill mentioned.

“I’ve met some unimaginable individuals alongside the way in which and it’s positively laborious to say goodbye, however I do know it’s the suitable time.

“In the final couple years, my physique hasn’t held up and it’s been tough bodily and mentally, it’s been a problem.

“I’m just so grateful to have been able to play for 13 years with 200-plus games. I’m super proud and extremely grateful.”

Fremantle govt normal supervisor of soccer Peter Bell mentioned Hill will go down in historical past as one of many membership’s biggest gamers.

“Stephen went from a 69-kilogram 18-year-old to reel off 190 games in his first nine seasons,” Bell mentioned.

“He was blessed with the power to run, however he placed on one other 11 or 12 kilos to construct himself right into a participant that lots of people externally will bear in mind him for – how sleek and skilful he was.

“Those who had been fortunate sufficient to play with him will bear in mind him for a way laborious he was within the contest, how constantly he carried out beneath the best blowtorch you could possibly be put beneath as a participant within the largest video games.

“He would cowl for his teammates on a regular basis and he would run as laborious defensively as he would offensively.

“I think there’s very few players who can genuinely say that was the kind of player they were.”

Hill completed fourth within the Doig Medal in his second season (2010) and was additionally named the AFL Coaches Association’s greatest younger participant that yr.

He received a Ross Glendinning Medal for his 32 possessions and three targets within the derby win over West Coast in spherical 15, 2014, and was inducted as a Fremantle life member in 2015.

In 2019, Hill was named on a wing within the membership’s biggest workforce of its first 25 years within the AFL.

Hill will proceed to work with Fremantle’s younger expertise of their Next Generation Academy.

Dockers followers may have the possibility to pay tribute to Hill throughout this weekend’s derby in opposition to West Coast at Optus Stadium.

© AAP





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