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A gut-wrenching social media post by Bobby Hill only scratches the surface of the private turmoil that has kept the troubled AFL star off the field for seven weeks.
On Wednesday, the Collingwood small forward, 25, shared a throwback photo on Instagram with his two sons, from a recent skiing trip in New Zealand.
‘Gonna miss you guys. Dad loves yous,’ he wrote alongside the image.
Hill has not played for the Magpies since their June 21 match against St Kilda, with the club saying he has been dealing with ‘personal issues’.
The club-friendly Melbourne media has only reported on a recent ‘change in his personal life’ without going into detail.
But last month, Daily Mail uncovered a trail of evidence that the Norm Smith Medal winner had quietly split from his partner Georgia Devlin.
This gut-wrenching social media post by Bobby Hill only scratches the surface of the private turmoil that has kept the troubled AFL star off the field for seven weeks
The throwback photo was taken while Hill was on a family trip to Queenstown earlier this year (pictured), before rumours about the separation began circulating
Hill and Georgia Devlin (pictured at last year’s Brownlow Medal ceremony) left a string of clues about their break-up on social media
Hill removed nearly all photos of his partner and their two young sons from Instagram, which many fans interpreted as confirmation they have split.
Georgia likewise deleted all images from her Instagram dating back to five months ago, while the young couple also unfollowed each other on the social media platform.
Hill’s latest message about missing his children hints that Devlin has taken their sons back to Western Australia, while he stays in Melbourne to play for Collingwood.
Daily Mail understands Devlin has indeed made the move.
The photo Hill posted on Wednesday was taken nine weeks ago when he and his family looked happier than ever on a mid-season trip to Queenstown in New Zealand.
It was around the time Collingwood had a bye in round 14, giving them time to get away.
Hill’s absence from the Collingwood team has been a huge talking point for the club’s supporters and the game in general.
The 25-year-old and star teammate Jordan De Goey were named to play in the VFL on July 25 as they looked to return to first grade.
Hill (pictured with Devlin) is a doting dad who has previously gushed about how much his young family means to him
The Magpies star’s partner and kids were regulars at Collingwood games
While De Goey has since made it back to Collingwood’s top side, Hill has yet to be seen in the black and white – but that could change this weekend.
‘There’s lots of Collingwood supporters wondering about Bobby Hill, whether he’s going to play this week, what his plans are for the rest of the year,’ AFL journalist Tom Morris said on Channel Nine on Tuesday night.
‘I can tell you tonight that Bobby Hill wants to face Adelaide this Saturday and if he doesn’t, he’s keen to go with the team and be part of the group.’
Morris reported that Hill felt he was emotionally and physically ready to play at the highest level again.
‘There’s been personal reasons why he’s missed the last few weeks. This is a delicate situation,’ Morris said.
‘Bobby believes the best environment for him to be in is around his teammates, which is why he’s keen to get to Adelaide, even if he doesn’t play this week.’
Collingwood need the star player back to help with a late-season form slump that has seen them slip from first on the ladder to third.
The Pies have lost four of their past five games, and a win on Saturday could see them draw level with Adelaide at the top of the ladder, while a loss may drop them as low as fifth.
Hill, a 2023 premiership-winner, is a loving father to his two boys and regularly brings them to Collingwood training and into the sheds after games.
Pictured: Hill, Devlin and their kids in some happy snaps from their New Zealand holiday
He has often spoken about how much they mean to him.
‘When the kids come to sing the song after a game it feels like a country footy game – the club say I can have the kids in with me whenever I can so it’s good, it feels like a big family,’ Hill said in May.
Drafted by GWS in 2018, Hill debuted aged just 18 and made his mark as a lightning‑quick forward with strong marking and a rare knack for kicking majors.
He made the move to Collingwood in 2023 and later that season kicked four goals in the grand final to win the Norm Smith Medal as player of the match.
In 2024 he secured a long‑term, four-year deal with the club.
Devlin has featured prominently beside him through his journey to the top, most notably when he was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2022, aged just 22.
He underwent surgery and said at the time that she was his rock through the ordeal.
Daily Mail has contacted Bobby Hill for comment.
