Collingwood Magpies release Bobby Hill amid support and racial abuse fallout

Collingwood has formally parted ways with premiership forward Bobby Hill, ending his contract early amid ongoing personal struggles and recent racial abuse on social media. The club announced the decision, stating Hill needed to take a break from football to focus on himself and rediscover his passion for the game.

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I'm going to take a break from football to keep working on myself and regain my passion for the game.

Hill, who was a standout in Collingwood's 2023 Grand Final win, earning the Norm Smith Medal for his four-goal performance, has been on personal leave and has not played at AFL level for nearly a year. His departure follows a public post on Instagram where he shared a racist message from a supporter, questioning the identity of the abuser.

Coach Craig McRae voiced his support for Hill after the team's recent loss, expressing sadness at the situation and condemning the online abuse. "Bobby, our thoughts are with you," McRae said. "Not just for Bobby, what's going on? It's a crazy place at times, isn't it?" He described social media feedback as a "cesspool" for venting.

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Bobby, our thoughts are with you. Not just for Bobby, what's going on? It's a crazy place at times, isn't it? ... If Bobby's listening there, I'm sorry to hear that's the case. We'll always love him. It's sad to hear that.

Collingwood's football manager, Charlie Gardiner, confirmed the contract termination, noting the club had provided support structures over the past year. However, Hill struggled to consistently meet his commitments, leading to the mutual agreement for him to take a break. The club also reported injuries to veteran defender Jeremy Howe (fractured arm) and utility Harry Perryman (hamstring strain) following their match.

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The club has been working with Bobby over the past 12 months to put support structures in place to help him work through some personal matters. Despite this, Bobby has unfortunately struggled to meet his commitments to the club consistently this year and agreed that taking a break from football is the best decision for him and his family.