An appetite for hard work never dies. Scott Hill is living proof of that.
Hill was the very first player to pull on the No.6 purple jersey back in 1998 and spent the next nine seasons making it his own.
He scored 46 tries in 177 games for Melbourne and while it has been nine years since Hill retired from rugby league, the game remains a big part of his life.
The 39-year-old now works as an NRL player manager, representing young players and helping to guide them through those tentative early years of their career.
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Current Thunderbolts player Brayden Trindall is one of the players under Hill’s mentorship.
“I have always done it for one reason, which is mentoring and assisting young players to reach their full potential in their NRL,” Hill said.
“I have had good experience being a part of the Storm system, what they do and what the attributes are that they need to be good at to make it.
“I am not like typical agents that go and sign 30 or 40 players every year, I may sign four or five really good kids that I feel have potential to make it.
“I really focus on them and give them the guidance and support that they need.”
As well as being a player manager, Hill also runs his own removal and storage business based up on the Sunshine Coast.
However in his early days of retirement, the NSW and Australian representative became an author, publishing two books - Secrets of Winning Coaches Revealed & Secrets of Inspirational Captains Revealed – selling around 10,000 copies of each.
After that he turned to consultancy, creating his own team culture and alignment program that he implemented for mining companies across Australia.
While the money was good, he admits there was zero job satisfaction.
Hill had spent his entire life getting his hands dirty, working hard and seeing the results come.
He knew he needed a change and had to go back to what he loved, so in 2015 he started out as a player agent and in September of last year bought the removal and storage company.
“I am in a position that I have been looking for, it has taken eight years,” Hill said.
“Once you retire you go through different ups and downs trying to find that passion, drive and direction as well as that financial security as well.
“I am finally at that point where I am pretty satisfied with where I am at.”
Running two businesses means a busy life but being able to do it with a smile on your face makes it all worth it for the Storm champion.
Hill has not lost his Melbourne connection, recently phoning Billy Slater to congratulate him on his comeback.
Named in Storm’s Team of the Decade, the inaugural five-eighth will always have purple flowing through his veins.
“I am a life member of the Club, was an original and was there for nine years,” Hill said.
“Storm is my Club, my involvement with Melbourne will always be pretty close.
“What I got out of Melbourne has helped me create what I got after football.
"If I hadn’t have learned the principles of what they’ve got at that Club, discipline, sacrifice, commitment, I wouldn’t be where I am now.”
