Draftees' kicking exam

[The Coon Dog]

Draftees' kicking exam

PROSPECTIVE draftees will be tested on their kicking skills for the first time at the 2009 NAB AFL Draft Camp in Canberra.

Future Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley has devised a high-pressure kicking examination, following demand by recruiters who wanted more information on players' ability to kick accurately on both sides of the body.

Players will have six targets to aim for at various lengths ranging from 20m to 40m and on either side of a field. They will have only one shot at each target, and won't be told which target to aim for until they receive the ball.

Scores ranging from excellent to poor will be given for speed, accuracy, ball spin and trajectory.

The 2009 NAB AFL Draft Camp will be held at the AIS in Canberra between Wednesday September 30 and Friday October 2.


Rest of article...

I remember Mark Williams bemoaning the lack of this a while back, saying we test there kids for everything except on og the most important parts; kicking.

How do you see this mjp?

[AndrewP6]

Re: Draftees' kicking exam

About bloody time I reckon. Staggers me such highly paid professionals can struggle with this fundamental so often.

[Go_Dogs]

Re: Draftees' kicking exam

Hmmm, interesting one.

[Bornadog]

Re: Draftees' kicking exam

If they could all kick like Daniel Rich we would be happy.

[Go_Dogs]

Re: Draftees' kicking exam

If they could all kick like Daniel Rich we would be happy.

Maybe I've missed it, but besides being able to roost the ball, I haven't been overly impressed with Rich's foot skills. He isn't poor, but I think there are certainly better kicks going around.

[Desipura]

Re: Draftees' kicking exam

Maybe I've missed it, but besides being able to roost the ball, I haven't been overly impressed with Rich's foot skills. He isn't poor, but I think there are certainly better kicks going around.

Really? Name them. Rich is not only a long kick he is an accurate one as well. Brown said his eyes light up when Rich has the ball.

[Go_Dogs]

Re: Draftees' kicking exam

Really? Name them. Rich is not only a long kick he is an accurate one as well. Brown said his eyes light up when Rich has the ball.

I've probably been a bit harsh in my assessment, but I'd say Hill has better foot skills from the same draft.

Rich can kick over lines, and kicking to a forward combo in Brown and Bradshaw is a lot easier than having to spot up targets with well weighted balls to good spots. Look at Ray this year and how much 'improvement' there has been in his kicking.

I don't want to knock Rich, as he certainly has had a very good year and been impressive, but I think in a few years the one knock on him will be his precision kicking. Like I said though, maybe I've just missed it. [/disclaimer]

[Desipura]

Re: Draftees' kicking exam

I've probably been a bit harsh in my assessment, but I'd say Hill has better foot skills from the same draft.

Rich can kick over lines, and kicking to a forward combo in Brown and Bradshaw is a lot easier than having to spot up targets with well weighted balls to good spots. Look at Ray this year and how much 'improvement' there has been in his kicking.

I don't want to knock Rich, as he certainly has had a very good year and been impressive, but I think in a few years the one knock on him will be his precision kicking. Like I said though, maybe I've just missed it. [/disclaimer]

Everything you say about Rich, I actually think they are his strong points. And to a lesser degree think the reverse with Hill. We'll have to agree to disagree.

[Topdog]

Re: Draftees' kicking exam

I'd say you have missed it Griffen. Thought last Saturday was probably Rich's worst game for the year. He is a sensational kick.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lvyDHTKBcA

That is a Gilbee style kick.

[Go_Dogs]

Re: Draftees' kicking exam

Fair enough, I'll bow to the greater consensus.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Re: Draftees' kicking exam

Interesting.

It has merit but I'd hope they don't fall back on this as the be all-end all. Surely recruiters can gauge how their disposal is through watching them play games of football? I would think that's a better indication.

It's a nice introduction though. Just hope they don't go 'over board' with it.

[Scorlibo]

Re: Draftees' kicking exam

Interesting.

It has merit but I'd hope they don't fall back on this as the be all-end all. Surely recruiters can gauge how their disposal is through watching them play games of football? I would think that's a better indication.

It's a nice introduction though. Just hope they don't go 'over board' with it.

I agree that the best way to gauge their kicking talent is by watching them play! But I suppose the same applies for most tests at draft camp. The camp has always seemed to me to be more of a social event with all the interviews that go on, the tests themselves I take with a grain of salt.

[mjp]

Re: Draftees' kicking exam

How do you see this mjp?

I have seen the test.

It does seem to go a bit against the decision making drills/exams that have been done at recent camps - rather than it being about selecting the right target it is simply about skill execution...to me it is equally artificial. One kid suggested it was a bit of a memory test trying to figure out which target is which...

Personally I wish they would just couple the kicking video analysis with the game vision and make their own assessments. Forget the new test. In the states recently, Jay Cutler got beaten in a quarterback 'skills' competition by a high-school player. Pretty sure Cutler will still be OK when the new season starts though.

I think it is in the same category as the rest of the testing - to be used by recruiters to confirm the suspicions that they already have (positive or negative). The whole thing is a complete waste of time (aside from the interviews of course) - the players there have already been nominated by 4 clubs and they are getting picked anyway. It is the players NOT at draft camp who would benefit from testing like this...yet that never happens.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Re: Draftees' kicking exam

I've probably been a bit harsh in my assessment, but I'd say Hill has better foot skills from the same draft.

In a few years time, Rich will be the Brisbane's fans arguement when we say Gilbee was the best kick of all time.

[Cyberdoggie]

Re: Draftees' kicking exam

Wait, they are kicking stationary targets?.....
How often does that happen in a game of AFL?

I thought the real skill was being able to pinpoint the player on the chest on the lead or in the space.

I would also look for consistency, kicking action, both feet, distance and penetration, and also kicking on the run.

We often see players running at full tilt but due to their kicking or running action and the defense pressure their kick becomes a massive clanger.
Griffen for example has a lot of flaws in his kicking but is probably considered a good kick because he can nail the odd pass. Eagleton is the same.

I'm also sure most players can kick on their non-prefered out on the training track, but not many can do it reliably in a game or under pressure. Harbrow and Eagleton again are examples of this.

I don't think you can really replicate this in a testing environment.