Nick Hider reflects on 2003 Maskell Medal win and career

Nick Hider can't recall much of his 2003 Maskell Medal triumph but that's understandable when you consider how many awards he accumulated during his decorated career.

The Lavers Hill and Timboon native, playing for Warrnambool, polled 20 votes to take out the Hampden league's highest honour in 2003 at age 32.

He finished just ahead of Camperdown's Torin Baker (19 votes) who was runner-up.

The win was Hider's second in the coveted award having triumphed with Camperdown in 1994.

He also finished runner-up in 1993 and 1998 and went on to win two league best and fairest trophies playing for Gippsland league side Maffra in 2007 and 2008.

The star rover, who played two games for Collingwood in 1995 and had stints at Koroit and Timboon, reflects positively on his Maskell Medals but currently only has one in his possession.

He traded the 2003 medal for another piece of personal memorabilia.

"I actually gave my last one to Warrnambool, so it's in their trophy cabinet somewhere," he told The Standard.

"I went and saw it one day. Because I asked for my jumper and they never give up jumpers unless you're a premiership player, that was one of their rules.

"So I said I'll swap you the Maskell for it and they thought that was a fair swap. I've still got my jumper, I've actually got it on the wall at home. I already had one with Camperdown so I don't need two."

Hider, now 52 and living in Sale, was no stranger to success during his career, finishing with four premierships at three different clubs.

He won a flag with Camperdown in 1999 as an assistant playing-coach under Ken Hinkley, before triumphing with Maffra (2007) and twice as a playing-coach with Sale City in the North Gippsland league (2010-11).

The midfielder remembers starting his senior career at Camperdown under former Geelong and St Kilda player Robert 'Scratcher' Neal.

"I lived in Timboon, played there and back in my early days I tried to play with Cobden and they wouldn't even give me a game in the under 18s," he said.

"I went and played a couple in the seniors at Camperdown which wasn't that strong under Scratcher Neal. I remember my first game with Scratcher Neal was against a bloke called Brian Brown (former Fitzroy player and father of Brisbane Lions legend Jonathan).

"I didn't get much of a kick and he probably got about 40 that day. He killed me."

Hider remained with the Magpies for a few more years before Collingwood picked him up at number 24 in the 1995 pre-season draft.

He departed the Magpies after only playing just two AFL games in the 1995 season, conceding he wasn't up to the standard.

"I wasn't quite good enough," he said. " I played two games and got injured but I wasn't quite good enough."

Hider returned to the Hampden league for stints with Koroit and Camperdown, followed by a year coaching Timboon in 2002 before joining Warrnambool the following season.

A job opportunity took Hider to Maffra in 2007 however he didn't intend to play football at the time.

"I wasn't going to play because I was 35 or 36 and Maffra was a strong club," he said.

"I just thought I'd go and train and they were short in a practice match and I filled in and I ended up playing pretty well and played two years there. Won league best and fairests both years."

The distinguished footballer was then appointed playing-coach at Sale City, where he led them to back-to-back flags in 2010 and 2011 before finally retiring from playing around the age of 44.

These days, Hider has little to do with football and is completely invested in coaching 13-year-old daughter Charlotte's netball team.

He was hesitant at first, not knowing much about the sport, but now relishes the role.

"Sport is sort of the same really," he said.

"Same principles and it's a ball sport."

Hider is married to wife Susan and also has two sons - Jezza, 26 and Zac 23 - although the pair don't share the same affinity for football as their father.

He works on a gas rig in Bass Strait on a week-on, week-off schedule.

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