Hillman stars in key role
THE ball rises awkwardly and floats through the late afternoon sky.
Colac’s Kaden Newton had disposed under pressure from centre wing, and his kick had paid the price.
South Barwon’s Jay Lever assumes front position right on the paint of 50, one on one against an opponent he dwarfs.
From the grandstand, the ball looks to have Lever’s name on it and his opponent looks young, scrawny and raw.
The ball then bounces on its end, and the fresh faced forward taps it over his head.
If you turned away for the next four seconds, you would’ve missed it.
Luke Hillman wheeled away in celebration, arms outstretched. He’d just burnt off Jay Lever and the Swans defence for goal number seven and wasn’t done yet.
Like many sides in the GFL, Colac has entrusted its youth systems to regenerate its list for 2017. However, unlike some other clubs that have fallen further behind the eight ball to go forwards, Colac’s improvement has been swift and successful after missing the finals in 2016.
Hillman mirrors his side’s stark improvement. The forward had kicked just 17 goals last year, and two the year before that. This year, he has 54 and sits third in the league goal kicking.
Acts of brilliance like the aforementioned aren’t isolated either. He has pace at ground level, a strong work rate and uses his height to advantage. Coming into a tight finals series, sides will have to start taking notice of the 23-year old.
“It really comes down to the work he puts in. He works hard on the track, he’s super committed and he’s really buying into our team plan,” his coach Kane Leersen said.
Hillman virtually leads the Colac forward line, with veteran Jake McGuane next best with 28 goals and spending more time up the ground.
A fortnight ago, Hillman became the first Tiger since McGuane in July 2014 to kick 10 goals or more in a match, when he booted 10 against Geelong West.
“You can’t ask much more of him as a forward,” Leersen said.
“To have 15 shots on goal (last week, he kicked 8.7) shows he’s working hard, which is the main thing, he can get to lots of contests.”
While Hillman may have escaped under a few radar, the pressure will increase comes finals. Yet the open expanses of Simonds Stadium will suit the fleet-footed forward, and suddenly he is at the centre of Colac’s final aspirations.