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“Thank god”: Bobby Hill reflects on failed Bombers trade
Lachlan Geleit • May 2nd, 2025 4:57 pm
Bobby Hill has had an interesting AFL journey for a player who has only been in the system for seven years.
The small forward’s first four years at the top level came at GWS after they drafted him with Pick 24 in 2018, and he’s since spent the last three years at Collingwood where he’s achieved so much in such a short time.
With a premiership, Norm Smith Medal and a new deal taking him through to 2030 in black and white, Hill is thankful that he was able to end up a Magpie after seeking a trade for personal reasons.
The only thing is, he probably should have ended up at a Victorian rival, Essendon.
That move to the Bombers was meant to happen the year prior in 2022, but Essendon refused to meet GWS’ request of both a second and third-round pick, with the deal falling through at the eleventh hour because they were steadfast that a second-rounder alone could get the deal done.
While Hill was shattered at the time, as shown on the AFL Trade documentary ‘Show Me The Money’, and was worried about heading back to GWS for the 2022 season after requesting a trade, looking back, he couldn’t be happier with how things ended up working out.
“Thank god that didn’t work out, no disrespect (to Essendon),” Hill told Dyl & Friends
“I was sh---ing myself (about going back to GWS after requesting a trade), I was scared like I was thinking to myself I might take a year off, go and play WAFL and get drafted again (laughs).
“It was (awkward)… you’d get a couple of texts from the boys when it first came out, and you can’t say it isn’t real.
“I remember sitting on that table getting a tattoo that was half done … and I was on the phone, and they said it wasn’t going to work.
“It was half done, and I didn’t even want it anymore, but I had to sit on the table for another two, or three hours.
“Then that first week I came back, it was embarrassing, you know what the boys are thinking and there were a couple of jokes there.”
While Hill was told by Essendon that they’d be back in the 2022 off-season to reignite the trade, that didn’t eventuate, with Collingwood coach Craig McRae winning the small forward’s heart before that year’s trade period after building a connection across the year.
“I still pinch myself (about playing for Collingwood),” Hill said.
“He (Dodoro) said he was going to come back (and try and trade for me in 2023), but there was no contact at all.
“But Collingwood and Fly were sending me messages every month just checking in, nothing too serious.
“They (Collingwood) came on the last day of the trade period (of 2022 to try and recruit me), but I said my mind was made up with Essendon, but it didn’t work.
“Collingwood was the only one still talking (by the 2023 trade period). I was lucky enough that they were still there.
“Pretty much (Essendon pulled out the second year). That’s what happened and I’m very grateful… at the time I needed a fresh start after going through the testicular cancer stuff.”
Hill reportedly turned his back on rival interest from multiple clubs in inking his extension with the Magpies.
