Collingwood premiership hero and Norm Smith medallist Bobby Hill is confronting the stark possibility of sitting out the entire 2026 AFL season. The fallout from his separation from long-term partner Georgia Devlin continues to overshadow his professional football future, casting significant uncertainty over his return to the field.
Extended Absence from Training
The 25-year-old small forward has not resumed full training with the Magpies and remains on indefinite leave as he navigates complex personal issues that first emerged during the latter half of the 2025 season. According to reports from The Age, Hill has not returned to the club's training program after dealing with these challenges, which have persisted for months.
A Turbulent Year Off the Field
Hill's absence follows a profoundly difficult period in his personal life. The livewire forward and Devlin, who is the mother of his two young sons, quietly separated mid-season last year. Devlin subsequently relocated to Western Australia, taking their children with her. The breakdown of their relationship was further signalled by the pair unfollowing each other on social media and removing shared photographs from their profiles.
During a five-week hiatus in 2025, Hill posted a poignant image of himself with his sons, accompanied by the emotional caption: 'Gonna miss you guys. Dad loves yous.' He made a brief return in Round 21 but missed the following week's match and did not travel with the team to Adelaide, despite initial reports suggesting he planned to join the squad.
Growing Concerns for His Wellbeing
Concerns around Hill's welfare intensified when veteran journalist Caroline Wilson revealed there had been days when he was uncontactable. 'I do know that his family is really worried about him, his friends are really worried about him,' Wilson stated at the time. 'Taking the football aside, because Collingwood badly need him and they need him playing well, this is far more serious than that now and I hope the right people are intervening.'
In an attempt to provide support, Hill's cousin, St Kilda star Bradley Hill, reportedly reached out to Collingwood. However, this intervention is understood to have created some tension within the extended family, adding another layer of complexity to the situation.
Personal Turmoil Escalates
The personal challenges escalated significantly in December when Devlin revealed she was pregnant. She shared festive photographs with their sons, showing off her baby bump. Hill did not publicly comment on this announcement. Hours later, however, he posted a video of NFL quarterback Shedeur Sanders responding to critics, with the athlete saying: 'That's how life is, everybody's not in the best situation, you know. But it's no excuse. You gotta go out there and perform. A lot of people want to see me fail. It ain't gonna happen.'
The clip concluded with the words 'the marathon continues', to which Hill added a 100 emoji, perhaps indicating his determination to persevere through adversity.
Club Support and Contractual Situation
Collingwood officials have consistently reaffirmed their unwavering support for the contracted forward, who is tied to the club through 2030 on a deal reportedly worth up to $750,000 per season. Magpies executive general manager of football Charlie Gardiner emphasised earlier this year: 'We care for Bobby and his health and wellbeing remain the priority as he continues to work through his personal situation. While on leave from the AFL program, we will continue to support Bobby so that he can be in the best possible position to return to the club in a full-time capacity when appropriate.'
A Long Road Back to Match Fitness
Despite this support, with Hill yet to rejoin the main training group and no clear timeline established for his return, football insiders believe it would take several months for him to rebuild match fitness even if he were to resume immediately. A subsequent stint in the VFL would likely be necessary before senior selection could be realistically considered, further delaying any potential AFL comeback.
As Collingwood prepares for the 2026 season, the absence of clarity regarding Hill's return leaves a significant gap in their lineup. The premiership forward's future remains uncertain, with his personal wellbeing rightly prioritised over footballing commitments during this challenging period.
