Hill on track for AFL comeback

BRAD Hill’s road to redemption could begin on Saturday if the Fremantle midfielder is cleared to make his playing return in the WAFL.

Hill has been sidelined since suffering significant bruising to his left knee in the Round 2 win over Essendon.

What the club initially hoped would be only a one or two-week injury ended up a three-month setback.

But the biggest damage was dealt off the field, when Hill’s run-in with police at a Perth nightspot in May cost him his place in the club’s leadership group. Hill, who broke the team’s alcohol policy and didn’t inform the club about the incident until the media found out about it, was also handed a one-match suspension as punishment.

That suspension will be served this week if the premiership midfielder is passed fit to return to WAFL action in Peel Thunder’s clash with Swan Districts at Rushton Park.

If all goes to plan, Hill will be able to return to Fremantle’s senior side for its July 7 clash with Melbourne in Darwin.

That would be a special occasion for the 2017 club champion, given his brother Stephen is due to play his 200th match that week.

“He needs to play a game at Peel and we’re hoping that will be this week,” coach Ross Lyon said of Hill’s availability.

“He hasn’t quite been able to get that continuity he needed but he’s heading in the right direction.”