BIO

Wartime competition 1942-1944
Norwood-North games : 3
Norwood-North goals : 3

Les Hill was a dashing Fitzroy player who made a good impression in his Norwood-North debut against Sturt-South in a Monday holiday match at Adelaide Oval while on World War II service with the RAAF.

Norwood-North began well against its undefeated opponent but in the end went down by five goals in a high-scoring game, 22.21 to 18.15. Les kicked 1.2 and was named third best for his team after Olly Arbon and Lionel Blackmore.  'Rover' in The Advertiser was impressed with the new man, saying: "Hill proved a decided acquisition to Norwood-North.  He showed speed, determination and skill at centre and half-forward, his only fault being an inclination to attempt a little too much on his own account - a risky venture with dashing tacklers of Sturt-South's calibre in the offing."

Five days later Les was named as a rover and kicked another goal, but Norwood-North always struggled in losing to Port-Torrens, 16.21 to 15.8.  He was on a half-forward flank the following week and although he once again kicked a goal, West-Glenelg was far too strong and won the match 15.16 to 9.7.  

That was Les's swansong but not his team's. Norwood-North finished the minor round of the four-team patriotic competition in bottom place that year but recovered to defeat Port-Torrens by six points in the grand final, 9.7 to 7.13, for its second successive premiership

Born at North Fitzroy on 19 April 1916, Les played 13 games for Collingwood in 1939-40, 52 for Fitzroy beween 1941 and 1946, and two for North Melbourne in 1947 – a total of 67 games with 10 goals.  His football career was interrupted by war service as a leading aircraftman between 1942 and 1946.  He was appointed coach of Terang in 1948. He died on 30 May 1993.