We beat the Giants - Has anything "REALLY" changed?

[mjp]

I cannot understand why professional footballers can’t be trained to kick straight (most of the time) with a 40m set shot.

'cos kicking is very (very) hard.

And what you do perfectly in practice doesn't always translate.

Some basketballers are better free-throw shooters than others. Some footballers are better kicks at goal. It's like the old cartoon - "I taught my dog to whistle today" - "Well, let's hear him then?" - "I only said I taught him - I didn't say he learned".

It's hard. And only the most dedicated players who REALLY believe that they have a problem will spend the time to work on it in their own time and improve.

[jeemak]

The other thing is that those of us who don't get to kick a footy all the time and have to have regular jobs assume kicking the footy all the time is sexy AF.

It would be without all the professionalism. But it ain't.

[Remi Moses]

Whatever happened to the Positive Thread?

Doesn’t exist on here much nowadays .

[I'm Not Bitter Anymore!]

Doesn’t exist on here much nowadays .

I must admit to dropping my bundle after rounds one and two. I needed the Positive Thread

[Danjul]

cos ...... is very (very) hard.

And what you do perfectly in practice doesn't always translate.

It's hard. And only the most dedicated ....... who REALLY believe that they have a problem will spend the time to work on it in their own time and improve.

I found that this applies to surgeons too. But they are expected to get it correct (most of the time).

[Twodogs]

'cos kicking is very (very) hard.

Is it though? I've said several times, and I will continue to say it it because I truly believe it, that kicking for goal comes down to having a set routine. And that routine isn't a long way away from driving a golf ball off the tee. No golfer was born with the ability to drive the ball 300 metres. They had to learn the routine to do it and then reinforced their ability by practicing that routine over and over again.

I constantly see players running in from all sorts of weird angles spinning the ball in their hands and leaning back or sideways as the ball hits their foot. People say "oh well whatever works for them" but it's not working otherwise we wouldn't constantly be having this conversation. I never see golfers drive the ball by any old method they have picked up along the way.

However I do see players at training practicing their goalkicking with nobody standing on the mark, when they aren't fatigued and reinforcing all the same errors they have been for years. And we wonder why we go into halftime with scores like 2.8?

The technique is not difficult. Walk back to the top of your mark. Take a deep breath to settle yourself. Then run in a straight line and drop the ball on your foot at the point when your head is over it. Don't lift your head. Kick through the ball. If an AFL player can't remember those simple steps (which I bet most remember when they are playing golf) then they aren't trying very hard to master a basic of the game.

I'll see your story about teaching your dog to whistle and raise it with the story about the time a reporter told Gary Player he'd been lucky to win a tournament. "Yeah, it's funny but the more I practice the luckier I get"

[jeemak]

Yeah I dunno if driving or putting is more like goal kicking. I'd probably say the latter is.

You have said you'd be able to teach anyone how to kick a goal TD, at least five thousand times (~20% of all posts by you!).

[jeemak]

I found that this applies to surgeons too. But they are expected to get it correct (most of the time).

It's amazing that they can do that amongst all the weights, fitness and conditioning including rehabilitation surgeons have to go through.

[jeemak]

Anyway, just re-watching Thursday's game, I reckon Crozier needs to improve his kicking.

He's a bit safe for me sometimes and he also fluffs a lot of his more aggressive kicks. Almost the opposite of Suckling who seems to do well on aggressive kicks and completely butchers the others a lot of the time.

I guess with Crozier though, what he does in the air and in other contests is just so impressive you kind of ignore the kicking deficiencies.

Additionally, I don't think Bruce is as fat as people suggest he is. He needs to do some work, sure, but what I really think is his issue is he is having to run a lot more up and down the ground with us given our defencive strategy and the way we transition the ball meaning he's more cooked than he'd previously be and that's impacting him. Hard to tell without being there, but I see a lot of him high up the ground a lot of the time, like I do with Naughton and it makes me think there's more at play with him that trying to fit into our structure and being too heavy.

[Danjul]

It's amazing that they can do that amongst all the weights, fitness and conditioning including rehabilitation surgeons have to go through.

weights, fitness and conditioning including rehabilitation. ...... all things which make it easier.

All the footballers have to contribute in a set shot from 40m is ..... hold the ball straight, drop the ball straight, kick the ball straight.

(If Dixon and Schache can do it most of the others should too)

[bornadog]

I think footballers today are brilliant kicks, way better than they were in the past. Some of the things players can do with a ball these days are incredible.

Yes goal kicking is an issue but as I have said before it comes down to two things, fatigue when they are about to have a shot and in between the ears.

[Happy Days]

Anyway, just re-watching Thursday's game, I reckon Crozier needs to improve his kicking.

He's a bit safe for me sometimes and he also fluffs a lot of his more aggressive kicks. Almost the opposite of Suckling who seems to do well on aggressive kicks and completely butchers the others a lot of the time.

I guess with Crozier though, what he does in the air and in other contests is just so impressive you kind of ignore the kicking deficiencies.

Additionally, I don't think Bruce is as fat as people suggest he is. He needs to do some work, sure, but what I really think is his issue is he is having to run a lot more up and down the ground with us given our defencive strategy and the way we transition the ball meaning he's more cooked than he'd previously be and that's impacting him. Hard to tell without being there, but I see a lot of him high up the ground a lot of the time, like I do with Naughton and it makes me think there's more at play with him that trying to fit into our structure and being too heavy.

Bruce isn't literally fat, he's AFL fat and noticeably heavier than he was last season or even in round one. I think, however, that it's being made to look worse by his generally piss poor efforts at chasing and selfish acts like trying to take mark of the year 80m from the opposition goal with numbers at his feet.

Re Crozier, I think you're right. He has the capacity to be a fantastic user by foot but I think having been thrust into a generalship role has made him inherently and necessarily more conservative. Maybe it'll open up a bit when Wood is back.

[mjp]

Yeah I dunno if driving or putting is more like goal kicking. I'd probably say the latter is.

You have said you'd be able to teach anyone how to kick a goal TD, at least five thousand times (~20% of all posts by you!).

Putting and Driving a freaking STATIONARY ball is nothing like having to kick a moving ball. Compare putting and driving to a place kick in the NFL or rugby league if you like - but NOT to kicking a footy in Australian footy. All the things we compare it too - free throw shooting, putting, field goal kicking, etc - feature a simple motor skill with a stationary ball. Kicking is a complex motor skill with a moving ball.

[Twodogs]

Yeah I dunno if driving or putting is more like goal kicking. I'd probably say the latter is.

You have said you'd be able to teach anyone how to kick a goal TD, at least five thousand times (~20% of all posts by you!).

It's because I could.

I think footballers today are brilliant kicks, way better than they were in the past. Some of the things players can do with a ball these days are incredible.

Yes goal kicking is an issue but as I have said before it comes down to two things, fatigue when they are about to have a shot and in between the ears.

Goalkicking has gotten worse. Players like Dunstall, Lockett and Beasley were all considerably better set shots than any player playing today.

Putting and Driving a freaking STATIONARY ball is nothing like having to kick a moving ball. Compare putting and driving to a place kick in the NFL or rugby league if you like - but NOT to kicking a footy in Australian footy. All the things we compare it too - free throw shooting, putting, field goal kicking, etc - feature a simple motor skill with a stationary ball. Kicking is a complex motor skill with a moving ball.

The ball moves maybe 1-1.5 metres and is always under the control of the kicker. It's not like the player has to throw it 5 metres in the air and try and kick it while it falls to ground, although that seems to be the method some players adopt.

Yes, it's a motor skill (and I work in a field where we test and try to improve fine motor skills so I do know a little bit about them) but it's not a totally unpredictable motorskill. It can be controlled.

[GVGjr]

Goalkicking has gotten worse. Players like Dunstall, Lockett and Beasley were all considerably better set shots than any player playing today.

And they played in games where the weather impact the playing surface and the footy and never got to play in a dome
Players of today can covert the difficult angles better and tricky dribble goals but miss out in a big way on the basic meat and potatoes set shots.

I'm with ya TD, it can be improved. Just have a look at Rock the Casboult