Hilton's time to show his worth
2:18:09 PM Fri 3 June, 2005
Andrew Wu
Sportal for afl.com.au
Richmond utility Rory Hilton begins the task on Saturday of convincing coach Terry Wallace that he has a future at Tigerland after being recalled to face West Coast.
The once highly rated Hilton, Brisbane's first pick at No.3 overall in the 1996 NAB Draft before being traded to the Tigers at the end of 1998, underwent a knee reconstruction after injuring his knee in round 15 last year.
But while many thought the injury would bring about the demise to his 72-game career, the incoming Wallace wanted to give the then 25-year-old a chance to show his worth to the club.
"I think it's pretty horrible way to go out of a competition, doing a knee and that's the end of your career," Wallace said after training on Friday morning.
"I'd seen all the other players who had stepped away from the club, I'd seen them play in recent times. I hadn't seen Rory because of his injury so I thought he deserved a chance."
Wallace said the plan with Hilton was to give him the first half of the season to recover from the injury and to build up his fitness, before making a judgment on his career during the second half of the year.
"Really, from my aspect I wanted to give him at least the opportunity of showing us over the summer what he could do and get the opportunity to prove himself. Then it's up to him from there," Wallace said.
"He's pretty much right on track. I mean here we are at round 11 and he's got his first opportunity to play senior football."
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