Enigmatic Hill rises to new level
Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2005 12:58 pm
NO ONE has ever doubted the class of Scott Hill. Five State-of-Origin appearances for New South Wales and five Tests for Australia are enough to mark him as one of the game's elite.
But at club level, Hill has been something of an enigma. Too often the flashy five-eighth has been brilliant one week, and far from brilliant the next.
That was at least until 2005.
While Melbourne Storm's form has fluctuated wildly in the opening seven rounds, Hill has been a model of consistency.
Every week he has been among Storm's best. Not simply by providing the touches of genius for which he is renowned, but often by just grinding out the tough plays.
"It was probably my main goal at the start of the year to be on my game every week," Hill said yesterday.
"I know at times in my career I probably haven't been as consistent as I needed to be.
"If anything I have just simplified things. I have broken down the key things I need to do as an individual to best serve the team.
"If that means doing some of the harder stuff to take a bit of heat off the forwards, then so be it. Obviously, I have played a bit of lock as well, so it is a role I'm happy to perform."
It seems Hill's form didn't rate a mention with the Test selectors before last week's Anzac Test.
Hill, who toured with the Kangaroos on last year's Tri Nations campaign, couldn't even crack a place in the 23-man squad.
But where it matters most, at home in Melbourne, Hill is winning new respect.
"I think in the past Scotty Hill has been a player who can either make or break you," Storm skipper Robbie Kearns said after Hill carved up Canberra on Sunday.
"But this season he has been a lot more consistent in his play. He has been showing a lot of patience and if he keeps playing like that we will win a lot more games than we lose."
Hill said he wasn't surprised to be snubbed by Test selectors, but he hasn't abandoned hopes of breaking back into the representative arena.
"I am just happy to concentrate on the club stuff at the moment," Hill said. "Obviously there are City versus Country games coming up and State-of-Origin as well.
"I haven't played Origin for a few years and that is definitely something I'd love to experience again. But if I don't, then I can't get too disappointed about it.
"All I can worry about is playing well and hopefully consistently for the Storm."
Storm will monitor prop Alex Chan's left shoulder this week after he aggravated the injury during Sunday's 46-10 win.
Chan's Kiwi Test teammate, David Kidwell, who was rested on Sunday, is expected to return for the clash against Cronulla at Olympic Park on Saturday night.
heraldsun.com.au
has been quite good not hearing hill bashing this year
But at club level, Hill has been something of an enigma. Too often the flashy five-eighth has been brilliant one week, and far from brilliant the next.
That was at least until 2005.
While Melbourne Storm's form has fluctuated wildly in the opening seven rounds, Hill has been a model of consistency.
Every week he has been among Storm's best. Not simply by providing the touches of genius for which he is renowned, but often by just grinding out the tough plays.
"It was probably my main goal at the start of the year to be on my game every week," Hill said yesterday.
"I know at times in my career I probably haven't been as consistent as I needed to be.
"If anything I have just simplified things. I have broken down the key things I need to do as an individual to best serve the team.
"If that means doing some of the harder stuff to take a bit of heat off the forwards, then so be it. Obviously, I have played a bit of lock as well, so it is a role I'm happy to perform."
It seems Hill's form didn't rate a mention with the Test selectors before last week's Anzac Test.
Hill, who toured with the Kangaroos on last year's Tri Nations campaign, couldn't even crack a place in the 23-man squad.
But where it matters most, at home in Melbourne, Hill is winning new respect.
"I think in the past Scotty Hill has been a player who can either make or break you," Storm skipper Robbie Kearns said after Hill carved up Canberra on Sunday.
"But this season he has been a lot more consistent in his play. He has been showing a lot of patience and if he keeps playing like that we will win a lot more games than we lose."
Hill said he wasn't surprised to be snubbed by Test selectors, but he hasn't abandoned hopes of breaking back into the representative arena.
"I am just happy to concentrate on the club stuff at the moment," Hill said. "Obviously there are City versus Country games coming up and State-of-Origin as well.
"I haven't played Origin for a few years and that is definitely something I'd love to experience again. But if I don't, then I can't get too disappointed about it.
"All I can worry about is playing well and hopefully consistently for the Storm."
Storm will monitor prop Alex Chan's left shoulder this week after he aggravated the injury during Sunday's 46-10 win.
Chan's Kiwi Test teammate, David Kidwell, who was rested on Sunday, is expected to return for the clash against Cronulla at Olympic Park on Saturday night.
heraldsun.com.au
has been quite good not hearing hill bashing this year
