banana/check side kicks

pickettline

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Feb 3, 2002
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Can you recall when you first saw a banana/checkside kick for goal? In the 70's I saw a player for Richmond called Blair Campbell kick an impossible goal from the southern side forward pocket at the G.The crowd gasped at the skill that he showed that day. These days it would be just a run of the mill plays.It just shows how much the skills have improved.
 

MotleyOne

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Sep 24, 2007
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South Australia
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The checkside actually evolved in the South Australian National Football league in the 60s. One of the VFL coaches (cant rememer who) saw it being effectively used in the SANFL and brought it to the VFL late 70s although it wasnt really used much in Victoria until mid to late 80s.

BTW the term "banana kick" is a Victorian term - it was called a checkside in SA. Now either term seems to be used no matter where you live.
 

willoblue

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Sep 16, 2009
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The checkside actually evolved in the South Australian National Football league in the 60s. One of the VFL coaches (cant rememer who) saw it being effectively used in the SANFL and brought it to the VFL late 70s although it wasnt really used much in Victoria until mid to late 80s.

BTW the term "banana kick" is a Victorian term - it was called a checkside in SA. Now either term seems to be used no matter where you live.

i played junior footy in the late 70's and early 80's in WA & i remember kicking a goal or 2 with a BANANA kick.
i don't like the way bwuce macavaney has introduced "checkside" into the vernacular but when i do coach my boys (i coach junior footy - very junior) & we learn all of the kicks i also make sure they know all of the names (that i and all of the other coaches can recall) for each kick. (e.g. for torpedo we also mention torp, barrel, torry etc)
on a side note they even learn how to do a droppie, not that any have used in in a game, but my boy (think tall mix of Didak & Black) is really good at it.
having said all of that, maybe i am an old stickler as i hate when people call footy AFL. i deliberately pretend that i misunderstand & assume that they are talking about the actual AFL.
at the games i am one of the blokes yelling out "go the banana", "go the torry" & for you funny folks "go the banana" is not meant to have x-rated connotations.
so yeah, the banana has become much more prevalent & i like footy with flair.
 

Commando

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the first one i personally recall was dermie in the 88 gf.

i was only a kid but i remember that was my kick of choice for the next year or 2.
 

Swampfox

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Apr 20, 2008
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The checkside actually evolved in the South Australian National Football league in the 60s. One of the VFL coaches (cant rememer who) saw it being effectively used in the SANFL and brought it to the VFL late 70s although it wasnt really used much in Victoria until mid to late 80s.

BTW the term "banana kick" is a Victorian term - it was called a checkside in SA. Now either term seems to be used no matter where you live.



In the 50,s StKilda Full Forward W "Billy" Young used it and thats where Blar Campbell copied it from

Blair who played for Richmond and Melbourne called the kick a boomerang

In the SANFL it was called checkside and in the VFL it was called a Bannana

Each state claims it as their own invention

It became more popular in South Australia than Victoria during the 60, thru to 70,s as i followed teams in both states

The best exponent i have seen use it with consistent accuracy is Peter Daicos

Its a common kick now
 

GaveEmHell1858

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Oct 11, 2021
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1
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The checkside actually evolved in the South Australian National Football league in the 60s. One of the VFL coaches (cant rememer who) saw it being effectively used in the SANFL and brought it to the VFL late 70s although it wasnt really used much in Victoria until mid to late 80s.

BTW the term "banana kick" is a Victorian term - it was called a checkside in SA. Now either term seems to be used no matter where you live.

I don’t agree actually as that’s incorrect information.

To help clear this up, here’s the correct info below.

The Banana kick is the official & original term of Australian rules football & always will be, as it was first introduced to Victoria football (ie codified from my beloved Demons, ‘Melbourne rules’ when they first were established in 1858 & the game we all love began) And with lots of various influences it was from the Irish game of Gaelic football, so way back in the mid to late 1800’s!!
Where one would kick a round ball ‘around the corner’, & so to “banana” it (as it bends around like the shape of a banana) for a goal!

Never heard of our Banana kick as a “checkside” or what ever you call it over there these days?
Before our ch7 commentators of the likes of Lou Richards, Peter Landy & Jack Dyer etc on the telly in the 70’s onwards would say say Banana kick & when we first heard of your incorrect sa term on tv was only when one of your sa commentators sometimes might just say it doing our footy from about the ‘90’s onwards unfortunately (like your co süd aussie’s ie, McAveney’s & more recently McLacklan’s etc) & we all thought in the footy world, what the…? Maybe them both having Macca’s surnames, perhaps it’s just a old Scottish term for something? Lol!

But can they (all süd aussies) please refrain & only say the correct, the original & best footy terms if you/they want to be a part of our footy, ie only say the “Banana” kick every time (if they are continuing to commentate or even run our fabulous footy game) etc on tv or wherever as the incorrect term & sounds very weird & as if you don’t know what your talking about kinda thing for us true originals of our great footy game.

Thank you & glad that’s now been correctly sorted & the Banana kick is the right term to always use everywhere our great footy game is played :)
 

GaveEmHell1858

Draftee
Oct 11, 2021
2
1
AFL Club
Melbourne
To help clear this up, here’s the correct info below.

The Banana kick is the official & original term of Australian rules football & always will be, as it was first introduced to Victoria football (ie codified from my beloved Demons, ‘Melbourne rules’ when they first were established in 1858 & the game we all love began) And with lots of various influences it was from the Irish game of Gaelic football, so way back in the mid to late 1800’s!!
Where one would kick a round ball ‘around the corner’, & so to “banana” it (as it bends around like the shape of a banana) for a goal!

Never heard of our Banana kick as a “checkside” or what ever you call it over there these days?
Before our ch7 commentators of the likes of Lou Richards, Peter Landy & Jack Dyer etc on the telly in the 70’s onwards would say say Banana kick & when we first heard of your incorrect sa term on tv was only when one of your sa commentators sometimes might just say it doing our footy from about the ‘90’s onwards unfortunately (like your co süd aussie’s ie, McAveney’s & more recently McLacklan’s etc) & we all thought in the footy world, what the…? Maybe them both having Macca’s surnames, perhaps it’s just a old Scottish term for something? Lol!

But can they (all süd aussies) please refrain & only say the correct, the original & best footy terms if you/they want to be a part of our footy, ie only say the “Banana” kick every time (if they are continuing to commentate or even run our fabulous footy game) etc on tv or wherever as the incorrect term & sounds very weird & as if you don’t know what your talking about kinda thing for us true originals of our great footy game.

Thank you & glad that’s now been correctly sorted & the Banana kick is the right term to always use everywhere our great footy game is played :)
 
Jul 4, 2012
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To help clear this up, here’s the correct info below.

The Banana kick is the official & original term of Australian rules football & always will be, as it was first introduced to Victoria football (ie codified from my beloved Demons, ‘Melbourne rules’ when they first were established in 1858 & the game we all love began) And with lots of various influences it was from the Irish game of Gaelic football, so way back in the mid to late 1800’s!!
Where one would kick a round ball ‘around the corner’, & so to “banana” it (as it bends around like the shape of a banana) for a goal!

Never heard of our Banana kick as a “checkside” or what ever you call it over there these days?
Before our ch7 commentators of the likes of Lou Richards, Peter Landy & Jack Dyer etc on the telly in the 70’s onwards would say say Banana kick & when we first heard of your incorrect sa term on tv was only when one of your sa commentators sometimes might just say it doing our footy from about the ‘90’s onwards unfortunately (like your co süd aussie’s ie, McAveney’s & more recently McLacklan’s etc) & we all thought in the footy world, what the…? Maybe them both having Macca’s surnames, perhaps it’s just a old Scottish term for something? Lol!

But can they (all süd aussies) please refrain & only say the correct, the original & best footy terms if you/they want to be a part of our footy, ie only say the “Banana” kick every time (if they are continuing to commentate or even run our fabulous footy game) etc on tv or wherever as the incorrect term & sounds very weird & as if you don’t know what your talking about kinda thing for us true originals of our great footy game.

Thank you & glad that’s now been correctly sorted & the Banana kick is the right term to always use everywhere our great footy game is played :)
That was just cringe.
 

Sherrinator

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Dec 1, 2004
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I feel like players tend to go the snap on the opposite foot as opposed to the banana from the pocket. At least on set shots.
 
Nov 12, 2002
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i played junior footy in the late 70's and early 80's in WA & i remember kicking a goal or 2 with a BANANA kick.
i don't like the way bwuce macavaney has introduced "checkside" into the vernacular but when i do coach my boys (i coach junior footy - very junior) & we learn all of the kicks i also make sure they know all of the names (that i and all of the other coaches can recall) for each kick. (e.g. for torpedo we also mention torp, barrel, torry etc)
on a side note they even learn how to do a droppie, not that any have used in in a game, but my boy (think tall mix of Didak & Black) is really good at it.
having said all of that, maybe i am an old stickler as i hate when people call footy AFL. i deliberately pretend that i misunderstand & assume that they are talking about the actual AFL.
at the games i am one of the blokes yelling out "go the banana", "go the torry" & for you funny folks "go the banana" is not meant to have x-rated connotations.
so yeah, the banana has become much more prevalent & i like footy with flair.

The main thing that is never ever picked up, McAvaney has the term wrong. The term "check side" comes from billiards and snooker, and if you were actually doing that, you'd be kicking the other side of the ball. Going by the fact you're aiming for the goals, you're actually using "running side".

So two things to take from it:
  1. It's a stupid and needless term, banana kick is simpler and makes much more sense.
  2. McAvaney got it completely ass-backwards, and then infected it on the public.
 

Sphynx

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Jul 10, 2011
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It really annoys me some of the older Victorian commentators try and call every snap a Banana (Brian Taylor particularly) and try and pass off the check side term as a South Aussie thing.


Growing up in SE Melbourne in the 80's and early 90's, banana was always a snap around the body and check side was always the opposite with the outside of the foot. It's always been simple to me and they were the common names for the two kicks in every comp I ever played in throughout Metro and Country Vic. It didn't matter if left or right foot.
 

HarvestMoon

Draftee
Apr 14, 2015
14
24
AFL Club
St Kilda
It really annoys me some of the older Victorian commentators try and call every snap a Banana (Brian Taylor particularly) and try and pass off the check side term as a South Aussie thing.


Growing up in SE Melbourne in the 80's and early 90's, banana was always a snap around the body and check side was always the opposite with the outside of the foot. It's always been simple to me and they were the common names for the two kicks in every comp I ever played in throughout Metro and Country Vic. It didn't matter if left or right foot.

I'm 68 and as a kid used to live for footy growing up in country victoria...we used to always practice kicking miracle goals from the boundary using if you like the checkside of the footy but always called it a banana. I'm talking early 60's in victoria.
Somehow the sth aussies have come up with its called checkside and only south austalians used it in the 60s. Fk Me
 

OnlyPowerForever

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Mar 22, 2021
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I don’t agree actually as that’s incorrect information.

To help clear this up, here’s the correct info below.

The Banana kick is the official & original term of Australian rules football & always will be, as it was first introduced to Victoria football (ie codified from my beloved Demons, ‘Melbourne rules’ when they first were established in 1858 & the game we all love began) And with lots of various influences it was from the Irish game of Gaelic football, so way back in the mid to late 1800’s!!
Where one would kick a round ball ‘around the corner’, & so to “banana” it (as it bends around like the shape of a banana) for a goal!

Never heard of our Banana kick as a “checkside” or what ever you call it over there these days?
Before our ch7 commentators of the likes of Lou Richards, Peter Landy & Jack Dyer etc on the telly in the 70’s onwards would say say Banana kick & when we first heard of your incorrect sa term on tv was only when one of your sa commentators sometimes might just say it doing our footy from about the ‘90’s onwards unfortunately (like your co süd aussie’s ie, McAveney’s & more recently McLacklan’s etc) & we all thought in the footy world, what the…? Maybe them both having Macca’s surnames, perhaps it’s just a old Scottish term for something? Lol!

But can they (all süd aussies) please refrain & only say the correct, the original & best footy terms if you/they want to be a part of our footy, ie only say the “Banana” kick every time (if they are continuing to commentate or even run our fabulous footy game) etc on tv or wherever as the incorrect term & sounds very weird & as if you don’t know what your talking about kinda thing for us true originals of our great footy game.

Thank you & glad that’s now been correctly sorted & the Banana kick is the right term to always use everywhere our great footy game is played :)
Sure thing.

As long as we refer to the sport as Aussie Rules and not AFL.
 

OnlyPowerForever

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Mar 22, 2021
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The main thing that is never ever picked up, McAvaney has the term wrong. The term "check side" comes from billiards and snooker, and if you were actually doing that, you'd be kicking the other side of the ball. Going by the fact you're aiming for the goals, you're actually using "running side".

So two things to take from it:
  1. It's a stupid and needless term, banana kick is simpler and makes much more sense.
  2. McAvaney got it completely ass-backwards, and then infected it on the public.
A few more things to take from it...

3. Wouldn't it be called check side because you are deliberately imparting spin on the ball to result in a more shallow angle than a natural strike of the ball would? Running side would exacerbate the natural angle.
(Difference between football and snooker off course is that there is no target ball to determine the natural direction/angle)
4. McAvaney didn't invent it.
 
Nov 12, 2002
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A few more things to take from it...

3. Wouldn't it be called check side because you are deliberately imparting spin on the ball to result in a more shallow angle than a natural strike of the ball would? Running side would exacerbate the natural angle.
(Difference between football and snooker off course is that there is no target ball.)
4. McAvaney didn't invent it.

The way I look at it it's running side as you're aiming at the goal, as in snooker you're aiming at the cushion. Has to be running side.

McAvaney may not have invented it, but just like his horrendous obsession with "bouncedown", he couldn't resist unleashing it on the football public.
 
Oct 8, 2004
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It really annoys me some of the older Victorian commentators try and call every snap a Banana (Brian Taylor particularly) and try and pass off the check side term as a South Aussie thing.


Growing up in SE Melbourne in the 80's and early 90's, banana was always a snap around the body and check side was always the opposite with the outside of the foot. It's always been simple to me and they were the common names for the two kicks in every comp I ever played in throughout Metro and Country Vic. It didn't matter if left or right foot.
Exactly same, growing up in western suburbs of Adelaide in 80’s and early 90’s. The kick around the corner kicking with the inside of your foot to bend right to left for a right footer (or left to tight for left footer) was a banana and the kick using the outside of your foot to get it to bend left to right for a right footer (or right to left for a left footer) was a checkside.
 
Jul 11, 2005
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Exactly same, growing up in western suburbs of Adelaide in 80’s and early 90’s. The kick around the corner kicking with the inside of your foot to bend right to left for a right footer (or left to tight for left footer) was a banana and the kick using the outside of your foot to get it to bend left to right for a right footer (or right to left for a left footer) was a checkside.
So whats the Chenana then?
 

Occidental

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Oct 2, 2016
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Here’s vision from the SANFL. The Grand Final 1968. The same player kicks two goals from the same pocket. Both are called “back screw punts”.
They are bananas / check sides and it’s 1968.
 
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