and the skill is kicking a goal..
Why is it that todays generation of footballers can ran faster and longer and have improved their skills to kick off both feet but then fail in the most simplest facet of the game in dropping the ball from their hands to their feet and kicking through the goal posts or kicking to your team mate?
Round 17 2008 was a perfect example were you have Luke Hodge a number one draft pick with top skills missing easy targets and continually turning the ball over.
Roughead, Franklin, Pavlich and even Johnson have all had the yips this year with misses that has lost their team a win.
- Round 17 - Franklin, Roughead & Brown miss 6 shots between them
- Round 9 - Brad Johnson hits post 20m straight in front to loose after the siren.
- Round 9 - Pavlich hits post 20m out in front and fails to put his team in front.
- Round 6 - 20 seconds left Pavlich hits post to fail in winning against Geelong.
Is there a reason why these full forwards who are paid to kick goals continue to miss easy shots? Is it confidence? or is it something else?
Theory One: Full Forwards have to run too much
Fevola has a good accuracy rate and so while he is a good set shot, his work rate of chasing etc is not so good. Pavlich on the other hand has to play midfield as well as be teams main focal point and maybe due to Pavlich being stuffed towards the end of the game, even a 20m kick gets harder.
Theory Two: Time limit on set shots
Just like any sportsman, the full forward likes to pull up his socks, take off his glove or spit on his hands, they have a formula that helps them kick the goal. However with this 20 second rule, most (especially Mathew Lloyd) has had to slightly change their routine. I would like to see the stats of Lloyds accuracy before and after this rule came in.
Theory Three: Athletes instead of Footballers
20 years ago recruiters did not worry as much about how fast you can run or how high you can jump but instead worried about can you kick, handball and play the game? This is how you have fat over weight players like Tony Lockett kick the most AFL goals ever and Tony ‘the shrimp’ Liberatore win a Brownlow Medal. Both players would not have a chance to play the game by todays recruiters.
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September 15th, 2008 at 11:19 pm
I’m catching on to this thread quite late, but the point you make is valid. It’s not about engine, otherwise Richardson would be a goalkicking star. A poor technique can hurt: recall Nathan Brown (Rich) a couple of seasons ago holding the ball in rather obscure ways and missing sitters. Fevola is sensational from 45+, but needs early confidence. Lloyd is still pretty reliable — I don’t think the time limit has changed his routine much, it was always a bit of a media beatup, Fevola takes at least as long.
Franklin (and Richardson) go off at almost right angles just before they kick, so it’s hardly a wonder that they’re not reliable. Nevertheless, their hand-eye co-ordination is such that they are both dangerous forwards. Roughhead kicks off a couple of steps, so will always be suspect.
Perhaps it’s what you practice? Milne can kick them out of his arse when under pressure, but misses fairly easy set shots. Likewise Leon Davis.
At the moment, Ablett is as good a kick for goal as anyone in the competition, either set shot or snapped, and for him it’s all perfect balance.
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September 16th, 2008 at 8:50 am
I do think Lloyd misses more than he used too, maybe its got something to do with the fact that he is not the main/ only target OR he does not get a chance to fiddle with his shorts after he throws the grass, does his hair, socks and re-applys his make up…
All left footers run on an arc, Sumich did it before Franklin..
The problem with Ablett is that he does not get much purchase on a kick (over 40m) but he does seem to have great balance.
I doubt its technique either with the amount of money and time spent on their kicking or even practice with them kicking well over 400 goals in a week.
Thanks for your comments aussierulesblogs and getting this discussion running
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