NRL TEAMS - 2024 Round 3
8 hours ago | LeagueUnlimited Media
Shattered Melbourne star Scott Hill refused to believe his stalling National Rugby League career was in jeopardy after ruling himself out for the rest of the 2003 season.
Hill will have an MRI to determine if he needs another arthroscopy on his troublesome left shoulder.
But the ill-fated 26-year-old said he was already resigned to not playing again this year.
The fallen Test lock is bracing himself for a second reconstruction, after having his right shoulder overhauled during his forgettable 1999 season which also included being bashed senseless with a fence post in his home town of Forster on the NSW mid-north coast.
"Words can't really explain the way I feel," Hill said.
"Obviously missing out in 1999 when the boys won the comp and missing out on the finals again (this season) after (Melbourne) having two years out of them, it's disappointing as well."
Hill suffered his latest shoulder complaint in the Storm's finals-clinching 50-12 romp over Parramatta at Olympic Park.
He was making his comeback from an injury to his right shoulder but lasted just 15 minutes before coming unstuck again when he slid off a tackle in a seemingly innocuous incident.
The setback is the fourth time this year Hill has broken down with a shoulder injury. His 2003 campaign amounted to just eight games and the latest mishap also ended any hope he had of touring Great Britain with the Kangaroos.
The Storm are so concerned about Hill's vulnerability that the club included a safeguard when drawing up a new $1.5 million contract earlier this season.
The five-year deal, starting in 2004, is contingent on the classy lock or five-eighth playing at least 70 per cent of games in the first three years.
If he didn't, the Storm had the option of letting him go.
But Hill said the prospect of premature retirement had "not really" started to worry him.
"After having the reco on the right one in 1999, I was fine," he said.
"The injury I had (earlier) this year was only nerve damage. There was nothing major structurally wrong. It's fine.
"In the back of my mind, I hope I can have a reconstruction - even though I wouldn't wish it upon anyone to have a reconstruction - but at least I know I'm going to have a strong shoulder at the end of it.
"A lot of it's all got to do with the rehab. You've just got to do all the right things."