His recent efforts with Werribee in the VFL are evidence that months of personal kicking training with Gavin 'Rowdy' Brown have been paying off.
"He's a superstar of the game, a genuine gun who knows just about more than any one about footy so it's been great working with him," Hine told NMFC.com.au after the Tigers' win over North Ballarat on Saturday.
Brown, an AFL Hall of Fame member and senior North development coach, bounces between the club's affiliates and is currently working with the Roosters. During his time with the Tigers, Hine says he latched on and soaked up as much footy knowledge and skill as he possibly could.
"He's someone you want to pick the brain of because he has a wealth of knowledge and has been around for so long.
"I was with him every week. We would have 15 minute kicking sessions, just the two of us, every single day. That was really good and was really helping."
His main aim has been taking the first option.
"I've never been a great kick and there's been a few technical things that I've been working on with Rowdy (Brown). I think I've improved and mainly, using that first option and not trying to take the difficult kicks all the time has worked for me.
"Just going for the first kick you see and hitting the target is the key."
As well as skill acquisition, Brown taught Hine how to set a path and raise expectation levels.
"He worked with me even just on my mindset. He helped me set some goals and work to achieve them more stringently. He's been great with that. He's been brilliant for me this season."
Hine believes he's in a great position as a young player, with so many different and amazing coaches to lean on at Arden Street for different aspects of his game.
While most North supporters would look at Hine as just a lock-down player or tagger, he's been trying to bring a new edge to his game and become more offensive.
"Without Sam Wright and Scott McMahon out there today, we needed a bit more run so I had the instruction to try and get up high on the fifth midfielder and take him up the ground a bit which worked well I thought.
"As a half back, there a lot of different things you need to do. There is that defensive side that you can't allow to get out of control, but you do need the offensive run as well. I have to have both sides of my game and am working on them a lot here in the VFL."
Hine played 14 games in his first year at North, but is yet to crack into the side this season. He remains patient and hopeful that it won't be too much longer before his name is called.
"Just taking to Brad Scott and Jarred Moore, it is just about doing all the right things every week and making sure my defensive side is solid because that's my role in the AFL, so as long as I can keep it up hopefully a spot will open up eventually."
