Nick Gill

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Nick Gill (born August 25, 1982) is an Australian Rules football player currently playing for the Adelaide Crows and the North Adelaide Roosters.

[edit] Return to AFL

His 2006 form with 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.

Even for the limited time Nick has been playing for the Adelaide Crows, Ken "KG" Cunningham described him as an emerging cult figure. Shouts of "Gilly!" can be heard throughout the stadium when he is poised to mark the football.

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.

[edit] External links

• Nick Gill profile on the Official AFL Website of the Adelaide Football Club
• Nick Gill's statistics from AFL Tables