Fremantle speedster Brad Hill is “right up there” in recruit-of-the-season calculations after his blistering start to 2017, according to Nick Dal Santo.

Speaking on SEN yesterday, the former St Kilda and North Melbourne champion said he loved the way the Dockers were “digging in” after a horror opening fortnight.

And he felt Hill’s trade from Hawthorn, after 95 games and three premierships, had been a huge reason behind the club’s turnaround which sees them narrowly outside of the top eight with five wins from their last six starts.

The 23-year-old hasn’t missed a game in 2017, averaging 25 disposals and eight marks in eight appearances.

Dal Santo, whose 322-game AFL career at St Kilda and North Melbourne ended last season, said Hill was in the conversation alongside fellow boom recruits Tom Mitchell (Sydney to Hawthorn), Toby Nankervis (Sydney to Richmond), Zach Tuohy (Carlton to Geelong) and Caleb Marchbank (GWS Giants to Carlton) after the opening eight rounds of the season.

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“Brad Hill is right up there with recruit of the year,” the three-time All Australian told SEN Afternoons.

“He’s beautiful to watch. He’s smooth, his skills are solid, he’s a good user (of the football) and he kicks goals.

“He’s that good of a runner he can run under six minutes for 2km, which is just incredible and he does it from the first second of the game.

“I think he had 37 touches against Essendon (in round seven) - 881m gained which is off the charts.

“People say he’s purely an uncontested player, but that’s because no one can go with him.”