St Kilda wingman Brad Hill looked “completely disinterested” in Thursday night’s thrashing to Richmond, according to Kane Cornes.
Hill finished with 10 disposals and zero tackles in the 86-point loss and is yet to hit the heights many Saints fans expected when he arrived at Moorabbin at the end of 2019.
St Kilda coach Brett Ratten says the former Docker won’t be dropped despite his indifferent form.
“Brad Hill was nowhere again last night,” Cornes told SEN’s The Captain’s Run.
“His output through five games in 2021 does not warrant selection in an AFL side who should be fighting for a top four position.
“He looked completely disinterested – 10 possessions, zero tackles was all that Hill could manage. They’re troubling numbers for a man on $900,000 per year.
“Ratten said post-game that he won’t drop Hill, but perhaps he might change his mind when he reviews the tape and has a closer look at his game.”
Tim Watson said Hill’s competitiveness and defensive work isn’t at the level required in the modern-day game.
“This is the thing about Brad Hill … there was an expectation that he was going to be a lot better than what he is at the moment,” Watson told SEN Breakfast.
“Watching him last night, if you are preaching to your team that they need to be competitive, they need to bring pressure, they need to work defensively in all areas of the game – I can’t see how you can then allow one player to go out there and not compete in all those areas of the game.
“They’re fundamental and they’re basic to the game of playing modern-day AFL football. For some reason, he feels that he doesn’t need to compete and that he’s only job out there is to get on the outside and receive.
“You can’t do that in modern-day football, that person doesn’t exist in any other team in the competition.
“I’m not saying he was the only problem they had last night, but he was symptomatic of the problems that they had.”
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Garry Lyon also singled out Saints midfielder Jack Billings for criticism after a quiet 14-disposal showing against the Tigers.
“There’s a bloke called Jack Billings that might want to sidle up alongside Brad Hill and say, ‘I’ll take some of this blame’,” Lyon said on SEN Breakfast.
“His output does not match his talent.”
St Kilda face another tough assignment in Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval next Sunday.
