Nick Gill
Encyclopedia
Nick Gill is an Australian Rules football
player currently playing for the North Adelaide Roosters
who also played for the Adelaide Crows
before being delisted at the end of 2009. He was originally drafted by Melbourne
in the 2000 pre-season draft but was delisted at the end of 2001
. He then spent 2002 playing with Port Melbourne
in the VFL
and after a good season was selected by North Melbourne
in the 2002 rookie draft. He was again delisted after only one season and in 2004 returned to play for the North Adelaide Roosters
.
was not the best but impressive results at the South Australian state screening saw him drafted by the Crows with the 64th pick of the 2006 AFL National Draft
. The Crows also drafted Gill as a mature-age recruit to act as insurance for the injured Trent Hentschel
.
Despite not having the best of starts after being plagued by hamstring injuries at the start of the season, Gill eventually worked his way back into form to be picked for his first game in a forward pocket
for the Round 17 clash against the Essendon Bombers in 2007.
On debut, Gill displayed his athleticism by taking a couple of impressive contested marks. His performance, however, was marred by considerable inaccuracy in front of goals although he did manage to convert a shot from point-blank range late in the game after receiving a free kick.
In his 2nd match against bitter home town rival Port Adelaide, Gill took an important mark in the fourth quarter and converted his shot close to goal, albeit from a reasonably tight angle. This spurred a four-goal run from the Crows that ultimately gave them a confidence-boosting 8-point win while keeping their season alive.
Gill's kicking abilities, however, remained under scrutiny after he failed to convert from directly in front in the first quarter in addition to poorly executing an attempted snap at goal which went straight up in the air, resulting in considerable embarrassment as well as laughter from the crowd and commentators.
Nick Gill played in Adelaide's round 19 loss to Geelong at Skilled Stadium and maintained his goal-per-game career, as he kicked 1 goal and 1 behind. Gill's poor kicking ability is well noticed amongst fans and media, even causing commentator Dennis Cometti
to say "ohh Gill has it, this should be interesting", an obvious jibe at his poor kicking.
His poor kicking fortunes turned around however against the Western Bulldogs
in round 20. He slotted two goals from nearly 50 metres out on reasonably difficult angles, causing fans at AAMI Stadium
to rejoice. The second goal sealed the win for the Crows, ensuring their finals hopes were kept alive. It is well documented that Gill has been working very closely with coaching staff at the club to improve various aspects of his goal kicking technique and his efforts against the Bulldogs suggested that improvement has already come as a result.
In round 21 against the Brisbane Lions, Gill put in a brilliant performance across half forward collecting 19 disposals and taking 10 marks. His questionable goal kicking once again came under scrutinty following a return of 1.3, however, despite the poor kicking, his role in the side's 26 point win could not be under-valued and he was named in Adelaide's best players.
In Adelaide's final minor round match against Collingwood, Gill played a brilliant game, taking several big grabs and laying some great tackles. He also converted 2 vital goals leading Adelaide to a stirring 19 point win and cementing their spot in the final 8. Gill again featured in the best players.
In 2008 Gill was in and out of the side, becoming a fixture late in the season due to injuries to several key forwards. Gill continued to show glimpses of class, with a burst in the first quarter in round 17 against Sydney, where in the space of a few minutes he gave off two goals and kicked one himself. A few weeks later against Essendon, he scored his first "bag" of goals – five goals in a 56-point win. However, his kicking remained under scrutiny as he also missed a couple of shots he should have kicked late in the game.
Gill but struggled with injuries in 2009, and was unable to break into a suddenly potent Adelaide forward line. At the end of the season, he was one of five players delisted (or not offered another contract) by the Crows.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
player currently playing for the North Adelaide Roosters
North Adelaide Roosters
North Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club, who play in the South Australian National Football League.- History :Formed in 1888 as Medindie, in 1893 the club renamed itself to North Adelaide. It is the fourth oldest club still in operation in the SANFL...
who also played for the Adelaide Crows
Adelaide Crows
The Adelaide Football Club, nicknamed The Crows, is a professional Australian rules football club based in Adelaide, South Australia, playing in the Australian Football League ....
before being delisted at the end of 2009. He was originally drafted by Melbourne
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
in the 2000 pre-season draft but was delisted at the end of 2001
2001 AFL season
Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2001.See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.-National Cup:Port Adelaide defeated Brisbane Lions 17.9 to 3.8 in the Final....
. He then spent 2002 playing with Port Melbourne
Port Melbourne Football Club
The Port Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Borough, is an Australian rules football club based in the Melbourne suburb of Port Melbourne and is currently playing in the Victorian Football League ....
in the VFL
Victorian Football League
The Victorian Football League which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association , taking its new name as from the 1996 season, is the premier Australian rules football league in Victoria The Victorian Football League (VFL) which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association...
and after a good season was selected by North Melbourne
North Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
in the 2002 rookie draft. He was again delisted after only one season and in 2004 returned to play for the North Adelaide Roosters
North Adelaide Roosters
North Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club, who play in the South Australian National Football League.- History :Formed in 1888 as Medindie, in 1893 the club renamed itself to North Adelaide. It is the fourth oldest club still in operation in the SANFL...
.
Return to AFL
His 2006 form with North Adelaide RoostersNorth Adelaide Roosters
North Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club, who play in the South Australian National Football League.- History :Formed in 1888 as Medindie, in 1893 the club renamed itself to North Adelaide. It is the fourth oldest club still in operation in the SANFL...
was not the best but impressive results at the South Australian state screening saw him drafted by the Crows with the 64th pick of the 2006 AFL National Draft
2006 AFL Draft
The 2006 AFL Draft is a recent national draft of the Australian Football League. The AFL Draft is the annual draft of talented players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League....
. The Crows also drafted Gill as a mature-age recruit to act as insurance for the injured Trent Hentschel
Trent Hentschel
Trent Hentschel was an Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League. He was taken in the 2002 Pre-season Draft at pick No.5...
.
Despite not having the best of starts after being plagued by hamstring injuries at the start of the season, Gill eventually worked his way back into form to be picked for his first game in a forward pocket
Forward pocket
In Australian rules football, the forward pocket refers to a position on the field deep in offense.Forward pocket players, situated in the forward line, need to have good avoidance and goal sneak skills and usually, quality forward-pockets are noted for their agility and ability to score difficult...
for the Round 17 clash against the Essendon Bombers in 2007.
On debut, Gill displayed his athleticism by taking a couple of impressive contested marks. His performance, however, was marred by considerable inaccuracy in front of goals although he did manage to convert a shot from point-blank range late in the game after receiving a free kick.
In his 2nd match against bitter home town rival Port Adelaide, Gill took an important mark in the fourth quarter and converted his shot close to goal, albeit from a reasonably tight angle. This spurred a four-goal run from the Crows that ultimately gave them a confidence-boosting 8-point win while keeping their season alive.
Gill's kicking abilities, however, remained under scrutiny after he failed to convert from directly in front in the first quarter in addition to poorly executing an attempted snap at goal which went straight up in the air, resulting in considerable embarrassment as well as laughter from the crowd and commentators.
Nick Gill played in Adelaide's round 19 loss to Geelong at Skilled Stadium and maintained his goal-per-game career, as he kicked 1 goal and 1 behind. Gill's poor kicking ability is well noticed amongst fans and media, even causing commentator Dennis Cometti
Dennis Cometti
Dennis Cometti is a former Australian rules football player and coach for West Perth in the West Australian Football League and Footscray in the Victorian Football League but is best known as a commentator. In a career spanning almost 40 years, his dry humour and smooth voice have become his...
to say "ohh Gill has it, this should be interesting", an obvious jibe at his poor kicking.
His poor kicking fortunes turned around however against the Western Bulldogs
Western Bulldogs
The Western Bulldogs are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based at the Whitten Oval in West Footscray, an inner-western suburb of Melbourne...
in round 20. He slotted two goals from nearly 50 metres out on reasonably difficult angles, causing fans at AAMI Stadium
AAMI Stadium
Football Park is an Australian rules football stadium located in West Lakes, a western suburb of Adelaide, South Australia...
to rejoice. The second goal sealed the win for the Crows, ensuring their finals hopes were kept alive. It is well documented that Gill has been working very closely with coaching staff at the club to improve various aspects of his goal kicking technique and his efforts against the Bulldogs suggested that improvement has already come as a result.
In round 21 against the Brisbane Lions, Gill put in a brilliant performance across half forward collecting 19 disposals and taking 10 marks. His questionable goal kicking once again came under scrutinty following a return of 1.3, however, despite the poor kicking, his role in the side's 26 point win could not be under-valued and he was named in Adelaide's best players.
In Adelaide's final minor round match against Collingwood, Gill played a brilliant game, taking several big grabs and laying some great tackles. He also converted 2 vital goals leading Adelaide to a stirring 19 point win and cementing their spot in the final 8. Gill again featured in the best players.
In 2008 Gill was in and out of the side, becoming a fixture late in the season due to injuries to several key forwards. Gill continued to show glimpses of class, with a burst in the first quarter in round 17 against Sydney, where in the space of a few minutes he gave off two goals and kicked one himself. A few weeks later against Essendon, he scored his first "bag" of goals – five goals in a 56-point win. However, his kicking remained under scrutiny as he also missed a couple of shots he should have kicked late in the game.
Gill but struggled with injuries in 2009, and was unable to break into a suddenly potent Adelaide forward line. At the end of the season, he was one of five players delisted (or not offered another contract) by the Crows.