JOSH Hill played his first game for the Western Bulldogs late last year, when the injury list was long, the season was shot and his own form was ordinary. His coach told him he was a little lucky, and as excited as Hill was, he agreed. "I wasn't playing great," he said. "I reckon that's a fair call."

Hill played his third match for the Bulldogs yesterday. He kicked three goals and cleared the way for Mitch Hahn to score another, when he wrenched Nathan Jones to the ground during the third quarter.

This time, Rodney Eade warned there would be ups and downs. "Like any young lad he's still got a lot to learn. He hasn't achieved much yet really, but his form's been encouraging," said the coach, and again Hill agreed with him.

Hill said there would be times when he was overlooked for selection or would have a bad game, but "right now I just want them to keep picking me."

He was surprised last year when he got a phone call to say he was making his debut by replacing Scott West in the round-17 team to play West Coast, but he absolutely loved being out there, and dedicated his pre-season to making sure he got a much bigger taste.

"I mainly worked on my fitness really," he said. "I was told I could play a wing so I wanted to get my fitness level up and run around a bit out there with the boys. It just got to my head, that I wanted to play AFL. Having that taste last year I wanted a bit more of it. I just wanted to be in here with all the boys, having a win."

Hill made an impression in his second match last week — playing against his favourite childhood team, Adelaide, he grabbed a few strong marks against the third-quarter flow — and felt more assured yesterday.

"Coming into this week it was better, all the boys just said don't let it get to you and don't get ahead of yourself," he said.

A cousin of Ashley Sampi, Hill has been told to use his leap, although it was his chasing and his tackling that pleased Eade as much as anything yesterday.