Can former Fremantle Docker Brad Hill deliver on huge St Kilda price-tag in AFL season 2021?

Not much went wrong for St Kilda last year, but the picky Saints fans would’ve wanted more from Bradley Hill.

The former Docker, brother Stephen still at Fremantle, was the most expensive of list boss James Gallagher’s extraordinary High Five of trade recruits, including Dougal Howard, Paddy Ryder, Dan Butler and Zak Jones, but proved the least impactful.

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On Thursday night’s evidence, the dashing wing is set to repay the faith in season two of his lucrative five-year deal.

Hill’s damaging run and silky skills were a headache for Carlton from the get-go – and the pulse in St Kilda’s offence-packed victory in the clubs’ AAMI Community Series clash on Thursday night.

He racked up almost 300 metres gained by quarter-time and never took his foot off the pedal in a scintillating display that will have planted a wide smile on coach Brett Ratten’s dial.

So impressive was Hill (25 disposals) that Blues coach David Teague sent Ed Curnow to him by the second quarter to try and dull his influence.

Defence was largely forgotten in the opening half as the two sides produced a thrill-a-minute shootout that ended 19.11 (125) to 15.9 (99) in favour of the impressive Saints.

They combined for 13 goals in a 35-minute first term and 22 by halftime, with many of them coming from point-blank range.

Goals were harder to come by after that, but Carlton would have been closer than 18 points at three-quarter time if not for straightforward Zac Williams and Lachie Fogarty misses.

Jack Lonie cashed in with four goals for St Kilda – rubber-stamping his Round 1 spot, if there was any doubt in the first place – while Max King and Tim Membrey booted six majors between them.

Camera Icon Michael Walters of the Dockers (C) celebrates the win woth Brad Hill of the Dockers (R) during the round 11 AFL match between the Collingwood Magpies and the Fremantle Dockers at Melbourne Cricket Ground. Credit: Michael Dodge/Getty Images/AFL Photos

Blues forward Jack Silvagni slotted a team-high three goals, and Williams, Marc Pittonet, list hopeful Oscar McDonald, the clever Zac Fisher and Marc Murphy kicked two apiece.

If the AFL is dreaming of more scoring this year, then this was an early indication it might come true, on top of last week’s practice matches.

There’s been a hyper-focus on the new man-on-the-mark rule and there will be more to discuss after Shaun McKernan gave away a 50m penalty to Liam Jones after illegally moving backwards.

It was an action-packed start, with Williams delivering a glancing – and high – blow to Hunter Clark in his first official act for Carlton, as Clark drove the Saints forward after the first centre bounce.

Clark bounced back to his feet after momentarily being shaken and left the afield for assessment, but soon returned to the field.

The incident will put the match review officer to work early.

There were some fallen soldiers on the night, with new Saint James Frawley hurting a hamstring in an opening-term chase, while Harry McKay (ankle) and Jack Newnes (ankle) went down for Carlton.

Max King (ankle) also took himself from the field and Jacob Weitering (corked hip) was another whose night ended prematurely.