Paul Medhurst is a great example of how a small forward can dominate a game equally if not better than a tall forward. He will often use a chest mark to great effect so he can take a ‘ safe haul ‘ .

Obviously taking the ball in front of you can be great advantage when there is a need to get the ball on quickly. By having your arms out you can easily give off a quick handball. Medhurst uses the chest mark in the same way ‘ Buddy ‘ Franklin uses his reach.

By leaping earlier, players of Medhurst’s height aim to takes the ball on the chest so that it is out of the reach of the opponent’s sight and touch. Leaping early also offers that element of suprise as the oppossed player might be caught off guard.

Paul Medhurst often uses the 'safe haul' option when leading for a mark.

A good, high long jump can utilise Medhurst’s body as a shield and prevent the reach around from his opponent.

Taking the ball in front as you jump or cradling it into your chest are two techniques that work very well for a ‘ safe haul ‘ .

On wet days the chest mark is often taken as the preferred method as the leather ball can get quite sippery.

When players like Medhurst lead they often get into a front and square position so they are in the direct flight path of the ball. It is no good taking the ball side on and risk spilling it.

As a general rule it is good to use the safest technique whenever possible. Although taking attacking risks can pay off, the team usually with the least handling errors comes off best.

When lining up or just kicking with a friend. For a right-footer, how do you kick a drop punt so it bends left to right in mid-air? An example of someone who does this is Fevola.

Um tough one, right footers can mainly swing it right and left footers left, this is done by angling your body slightly when kicking which inturn angles the ball as the air passes the ball on an angle it causes it to move mid air.

The only way to practice this is from about 35 to 45 meteres out depending on you kicking abilities, line yourself up with the points (between the goal and point posts) try and kick a goal with your body facing the points, this should create the angle on the ball (Left footers use left points right footer use right points).

This however is not a good style to practise, Buddy Franklin is a massive user of this technique and although he kicked 113 goals last year he also kicked 88 points (source). Please let us emphasise that you should ONLY try to curve the ball when on tight angles, as it is very inaccurate.

Question 1: Dropping the Ball Incorrectly

My 10yr old son is now into his 4th year of playing (QLD) and no matter how much we try, he just hasn’t mastered the drop punt. When releasing the ball he always appears to tilt, turn or flick the ball so that it hits his foot on a slight angle. What techniques are there they can help alleviate this problem.

• 1st tip would be practice.
• I would then ask how is the ‘guiding hand’? If he is kicking the ball on the right, he should be dropping and guiding the ball using his right hand. This guiding hand will help the ball not tilt etc as it drops to the foot. The closer the hand is to the foot when guiding the ball, there is less room for the ball to divert.
• Focus on the guide hand, the thumb should be in line or there abouts with the top stitch of the footy, or if no stitching then about 5-7cm from the valve, and slightly to the side so that the little finger sits on the bottom half of the ball. the hand should lock in that position and the ball almost cupped.
• A good way to practise is to get you hands in position then have someone place the ball into your grip. This will avoid flicks and so forth)
• Another question is to ask if he is moving his hands and arms around when kicking the ball? It is best to keep the arms and hands as still as possible when in the run up/ walk up to kick the ball.
• Another good way to practice is using rolled up socks, balloons, small footballs etc, anything that would help.

Question Two: Kicking the Ball to High

When i go to kick a drop punt I usually kick it really high what do i do to keep it lower?

• A high kick usually means you dropping the ball to high and to far from your body.
• If you watch AFL you will see that at times when under pressure an afl player may kick the ball with their Knee or shin by mistake, this is because they drop the ball very close to there body to keep it low and fast.
• The best way to practise is to:
  • Off one leg kick the ball in to a wall low and hard (use an old ball).
  • Standing still will stop the ball moving far from your body and being on one leg will ensure you ball drop remains close.
  • Its also good to try and catch the ball of the wall as it will help with you reaction time. as you get more confident move further from the wall and gradually move into a normal kicking style and the rest should follow

Question Three: Drop Punt vs the Torpedo

Me and my friends were wondering whether an AFL footy goes further with the traditional punt or the torpedo…and why more players don’t use the torpedo more.

• Yes a Torpedo does indeed have the potential to cover the most distance, however the reason it is not used as widely as the traditional ‘drop punt‘ is because the torpedo is harder to master and if not kicked properly it becomes ineffective.
• (Linear Scale) As distance goes up, accuracy goes down, The torpedo is basically inaccurate
• In todays AFL players only use the torpedo as a last resort like when kicking at goals from 60m+ or when the risk of an ineffective kick is greater than a drop punt.

Question Four: Some Ruck Lessons/ Drills

I’m doing a football assignment and I’m in Year 9. I was just wondering what type of basic training (minimum of 4 exercises) does a ruckman need to be successful?

The post would have a few tips, along with the how to ruck and tap post.

1. Practice is always good using both hands.
2. Watching the best ruckmen in the AFL (Sandilands, Cox etc)
3. Throw the ball up in the air and practice twisting in air, your jump (off both feet), target to tap to etc.
4. Jump up against a trampoline, someone else, jumping bag etc
5. Body Work/Man on Man mimicking boundary throw ins

Thanks for all the guys who asked the questions and Jermayn, John & Michael who helped answered them. If you can add your own thoughts, tips please do. Also if you have your own question, add them in the comments section below or contact us. We will answer any AFL related question.

Do you accelerate to get your body in between both you or your opponent?

OR

Do you hesitate to see what your opponent is doing and then try to control them instead of the ball?

The under-rated Simon Black is a great 'in and under' player

Some players will often appear to be in a contest but really there is no body commitment and they are just placing their arms in. Simon Black is one player who definitely passes the ‘ One Metre Test ‘ .

Quite often for the Brisbane Lions you can often find Simon Black ‘ in and under ‘ around a contest. He is so successful at feeding the football out to players waiting for his quick hands.

Black does this so efficiently by getting his body at a low position, lower than his opponent so he can gather the ball before his opposite number even has a chance to.

Often he has one hand outstretched ready to scoop up or tap the ball along while the other hand and arm can be used to shield or fend an opponent off. By having a lower centre of gravity than his opponent, Simon Black can use his momentum to make side on contact with his opponents shoulder and gather with the protected arm.

Good players often narrow their focus as they approach the ball. They can assess the bigger picture just before they regain their focus on the ball and can make the best judgment for that situation.

If they win possession, they then look for their options.

Players of Black’s caliber have great focus. Often when lesser players fumble the ball, this is due to them not focusing on the task at hand. They are distracted by not knowing where their opposition is and that can make them reluctant to commit.

By positioning your body in front and lower than your opponent you are more liekly to be in the best position for a free kick unless you fall onto or hold the ball up. Having a lower position also means you are a smaller target than if you were more upright, offering you more protection.

What I liked about the book is that the information it proves is very simple and practical and these are often the things we forget about when it comes to the modern day version of the game. It is too easy to get caught up in the new fitness crazes or the latest sports energy supplement to find that edge but if you complicate the game, you will get lost!

Every time I felt myself getting lost or over analyzing a situation, I would go back to this book and it usually helped me to remain focused.

Sure Australian Rules Football has benefited from advances in sports science but this book is a little reminder that the basics work if you stick to them.

Winning The Contest

The first rule of football is go and get your own ball. It means:

• Going into heavy traffic
• Picking up the crumb, Loose Ball Get when the ball spills and is in hot dispute.
• Taking the Contested Mark in the battle for the ball in the air.

Big Bang Theory

For Ruckmen starting to learn their craft they should look at what makes the leading big men of the game so successful at the centre bounce and around the ground.

Dean Cox is a great example for young Ruckmen to watch & learn how he rucks.

Ruckmen like Dean Cox will often hit the ball with their opposite hand to their leading knee when jumping or at a Ruck contest (e.g if left knee is leading right hand hits the ball). This technique allows you to be side on and reduce the chance of injury.

The arm that is not used to make contact with the ball then can be used as a barrier to restrict the reach of the opposing Ruckman’s arms.

Good communication from a ruckman enables a centreman to time his run.

The best Ruckmen seem to palm the ball down to space that their players can run into. By palming the ball rather than punching, it makes it more predictable for their teammates.

Your Comments, Feedback and Hints

This is the first part of around 10 simple skills, hints & coaching tips that will be published to help you become a better AFL footballer from a young kid to adult. Please comment if you can add anything to this topic and if you know someone who can benefit from this, please pass it onto them.

If you would like to contribute in any way in the area of coach drills, tips, skills to learn at training etc, please get in contact with us.

The best tip would be practice, practice and practice but some handy tips to help are:

1. Muscles: Your leg muscles are important.
   • Have strong leg muscles (Like Hurn, Lynch and the Rocca brother’s)
   • and make sure they are warm before you kick (some full forwards before they kick at goal do a practice swing).
2. Your toe should be pointed where you want the ball to go and you should follow through with your foot at about shoulder height.
3. Met the sweet spot: About 4inches from the point of the ball.
4. Kick through the football (do not stab) but do NOT try and kick the skin off the ball.
5. The last tip would be to try a torpedo (torp) punt.

If you have any other tips or ideas please add them in the comments below and if you would like to add your own coaching tip please contact us.

Front and center to contests

The Australian Ball is unpredictable but it is a good skill to get yourself front and center to contests like a ball up or throw in when the rucks go at it or at a marking contest. This will enable that you have the best chance to gather the ball.

Keep your opponent to the boundary side

Especially for defenders were their main purpose is to limit their opposition forward player to kick goals. It is harder to kick a goal from the boundary so when standing next to them, make sure they are on the boundary side rather than goal side.

Be Accountable

Be accountable and aware and know where your opponent is at all times. Todays game is so fast that you cannot afford to be slack in this area, as it can effect the result of the game.

Follow up

If your kick is a bad one, or if its to a 50/50 contest following the ball up, increases your teams chances by getting over to the ball and usually you or your team mate will end up with the ball.

Lower center of Gravity at ground contests

Position yourself lower than your opponent when the ball is to be won at ground level. A lower center of gravity gives you more of a chance to win the contested ball as they cannot bump or knock you off the ground as easy.

Communicate

Not the usual banter… I mean, letting your team mates know where you are, who you’re covering. This is especially important at center bounces and throw ins. Some players prefer not to wear a mouth guard as this can effect your communication levels.

Do you have your own one percenters or an example were it has turned the result of a game?

Some of these “One Percenters” words may be confusing so please if they are go to our Australian Football/ AFL jargon section.

Smother

A smother is when someone goes to kick or handball the football and you intercept it. This can turn the ball over from the opposition to your own team and can create opportunities to score.

Block/ Shepherd

After you handball the ball to your team mate, it is good to follow it up by running across the opposition players path to block them from getting to your team mate, so they can dispose of the ball without as much pressure.

Arms in air and Jump when standing on mark

If you place your hands in the air it makes the person kick the ball over you by an extra meter and if you jump as the ball passes you, it makes them kick it even higher. Kicking it higher can make the kick land shorter and become less accurate.

Tuck Jumper into shorts

This is not for cosmetic reasons but if you tuck the jumper into your shorts it means that there is less for your opposition to grab when they tackle you.

Tuck Shoe Laces into boot

All football players know their is a sweet spot on your boot when it gets kicked from there it flows better. With your shoe laces tucked away it can increase the sweat spot.

Add your own One Percenter

This post is designed for players and coaches so they can improve the little areas and become a better team and player. If you have any of your own “One Percenters” please add them below in the comments section. Thanks!

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Kicking at objects

One of the fastest ways of moving the ball is by kicking and it is important that when you kick the ball, it reaches it desired target otherwise you are likely to turn the ball over. A good kicker who can hit his/ her targets is a valuable asset to the team. To kick at targets you can practice with friends but if your alone or in the backyard, try kicking at objects like a bin (the smaller the harder to hit). Try kicking at the target from a few meters away and then slowly increasing the distance, when comfortable with that. Kick at the target with your opposite non-dominate foot.

Next week we will release the last of three handy activities for you to start practicing in your backyard. Please subscribe to us (via email) to make sure you get them. The first week we concentrated on handballing through a gap to help your accuracy.

Gather rebounds for gathering below waist

This was my personal favourite activity to do in my backyard when I was a kid. I had a trampoline but it can be done using any wall, fence etc.

What you do is kick the ball against the wall, trampoline and then as it rebounds off you squat down to gather the ball. This is good as it helps replicate real game as the ball tends to spend more time along the ground than in the air.

Another benefit of gathering the ball quickly off the ground is that you have more time to ran away and not get tackled which allows you to either shoot for goals or pass off to a team mate quicker.