THEY say key forwards are a valuable commodity and new Port Adelaide recruit Dallas Hill is hoping to prove that true in his first year at the club.
Signed as a SANFL contracted player, the athletic big man is no stranger to the competition, having played for Central District between 2009 and 2016.
At 190 centimetres, the left-footed ace knows where the goals are, booting 36 in 15 league games and 30 in 30 reserves games for the Bulldogs.
A former Clare junior, it was strangely a link to Woodville-West Torrens that saw him sign up for the Magpies.
“I know Grimmy (Port Adelaide SANFL manager Shane Grimm) from a bit of under 14s stuff I did at Woodville,” Hill revealed to portadelaidefc.com.au.
“He flicked me a message asking if I wanted to give it a crack and just named some of the boys who had come on board, and I just thought they were good blokes so I thought why not?”
Port Adelaide supporters got their first taste of what Hill could do in limited game time during a SANFL trial game against South Adelaide last Friday night.
He booted two goals in the first quarter including one where he caught an opponent holding the ball and showed impressive game smarts to feature heavily in almost every early Magpies attack.
It was his first hit-out, having missed a previous trial game against North Adelaide as he recovered from an injury.
A player who likes to play full forward, a fit Hill could be incredibly valuable for the Magpies, who struggled to find a key forward target in 2018.
“I probably need to work on my running a bit but I think I’ve got good skills and a decent set of hands,” Hill said.
For much of the pre-season, the Magpies have trained with a limited group of only SANFL-contracted players.
With the season fast approaching, AFL players not featuring with the Power are joining in on occasion with the Magpies.
Despite the pre-season limitations, Hill has enjoyed the smaller group.
“In a way it’s better with a small group,” he said.
“Everyone is getting around each other a bit more.
“It’s a bit harder with some of the drills but I reckon with a smaller group we’ve all clicked really well so that’s been great.”
And clicking well in a short space of time will be important for an almost completely new Magpies team.
Hill is just eager to pull on the prison bar jumper and represent the club again, despite the knowledge that if there is a fit AFL list, he could be consigned to his local club.
“You obviously know that before you commit, so I know that could be the deal,” he said.
“I’ll go back out to North Clare if that happens and that’s fine.
“But I’m just excited to be part of Port Adelaide.
“If you’ve had anything to do with footy in this state, you know about Port Adelaide.
“It’s a club with a strong history and a club with a good culture, and I’m just excited to be here.”
