Hill out to erase bad memories
Fremantle speedster Stephen Hill will be aiming for redemption when he confronts North Melbourne tagger Brady Rawlings in Sunday's AFL clash at Patersons Stadium.
Hill copped a football lesson in round 19 last year when he was kept to just seven possessions by Rawlings in the Roos' 54-point victory at Etihad Stadium.
To compound Hill's poor day, Rawlings racked up a game-high 39 touches, with AFL great Leigh Matthews later questioning the work ethic of the 20-year-old Docker.
"That the Kangaroos vice-captain accumulated a game-high 39 disposals, including 30 uncontested gets, was a savage indictment on Hill's competitive mindset," Matthews said at the time.
Hill has been in sparkling form for the Dockers this year and is almost certain to once again be tagged by Rawlings.
But Fremantle coach Mark Harvey was quick to play down last year's thrashing.
"There was a lot written about that particular match-up (but I'm) not sure how long that match-up was being played for in that game," Harvey said.
The Dockers enter this week's clash as raging favourites following a strong start to the season with wins over Brisbane and Adelaide either side of a tight loss to Geelong.
But it isn't pretty reading for the winless Kangaroos, who are still smarting from their 87-point defeat to Collingwood before last week's bye.
Garrick Ibbotson returns to the Dockers' line-up after recovering from a pre-season ankle injury, while Jay van Berlo was also recalled as Ed Lower and Michael Walters were dropped.
Kangaroos coach Brad Scott maintained the faith in his team, sticking with the same 22 that were pummeled by Collingwood.
The Dockers still boast an extensive injury list featuring players such as Michael Barlow, Roger Hayden, Tendai Mzungu, Alex Silvagni and Anthony Morabito, but Harvey said the impending return of some of those had provided good motivation for the rest of the side.
"We've sort of got a significant amount (of players out) at the moment," Harvey said.
"But the resolve amongst the team, the ability to grow as a team has been the reason why we've been able to maintain our performance so far.
"So you'd like to think that whenever these guys do come back they're going to have to work harder to get back in the team.
"That would enforce players to find more than perhaps they would at times."
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