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Bomber's new goal
Mark Thompson has lamented his team's goal-kicking woes
By Ben Casanelia 5:36 PM Tue 05 May, 2009
IT'S NOT panic stations, but Geelong coach Mark Thompson says his side must sort out its goal-kicking woes if it wants to avert another finals disaster.
After publicly showing the first signs of frustration in the wake of the Cats' wasteful 15.21 effort last week against Melbourne, Thompson said his side could not be lulled into a false sense of security because it was still winning games despite poor conversion.
"It frustrated us last week because we really could have put the game away and that's probably been the case every time we've kicked poorly," he said.
"We got away with it because we were playing such good footy, but in a tight game those misses are critical.
"We would really like to develop some great habits, some unbelievably good habits, of being able to nail goals when we take the shots."
Of major concern is the Cats inaccuracy at the MCG.
Since the start of 2008 the Cats have kicked 145.157 from 10 matches at the MCG, including 11.23 in last year's fateful grand final loss to Hawthorn.
From three matches at the ground this year the Cats have kicked 48.56.
Since round one last season, Geelong has scored 101.74 from five games at Docklands and 140.127 from 10 appearances at Skilled Stadium.
For the first time in Thompson's 10-year reign players are undertaking mandatory goal-kicking sessions at training.
"You should practise it a lot and you should be very good at it at training. You can miss the occasional one through the mental pressure of the game, but you'd like your percentages to be right up there," he said.
"We'd love to be able to have a team of players who, under pressure, have got a lot of confidence in themselves to kick them, and do kick them."
While inaccuracy is a concern, Thompson rated his side's 6-0 start as "outstanding", and believed the club had negotiated its way through the season's most demanding block of games.
"At the start of the year we thought the first four games were probably the hardest, and we came through that," he said.
"It's a much better start than what he had last year.
"It's a much easier group to coach and in a much better position."
Asked why he thought the club was in a better position given it went 8-0 to start last season, he said: "The way we're playing, the way we've changed our game plan and the way we're just handling every part of football."
Mark Thompson has lamented his team's goal-kicking woes
By Ben Casanelia 5:36 PM Tue 05 May, 2009
IT'S NOT panic stations, but Geelong coach Mark Thompson says his side must sort out its goal-kicking woes if it wants to avert another finals disaster.
After publicly showing the first signs of frustration in the wake of the Cats' wasteful 15.21 effort last week against Melbourne, Thompson said his side could not be lulled into a false sense of security because it was still winning games despite poor conversion.
"It frustrated us last week because we really could have put the game away and that's probably been the case every time we've kicked poorly," he said.
"We got away with it because we were playing such good footy, but in a tight game those misses are critical.
"We would really like to develop some great habits, some unbelievably good habits, of being able to nail goals when we take the shots."
Of major concern is the Cats inaccuracy at the MCG.
Since the start of 2008 the Cats have kicked 145.157 from 10 matches at the MCG, including 11.23 in last year's fateful grand final loss to Hawthorn.
From three matches at the ground this year the Cats have kicked 48.56.
Since round one last season, Geelong has scored 101.74 from five games at Docklands and 140.127 from 10 appearances at Skilled Stadium.
For the first time in Thompson's 10-year reign players are undertaking mandatory goal-kicking sessions at training.
"You should practise it a lot and you should be very good at it at training. You can miss the occasional one through the mental pressure of the game, but you'd like your percentages to be right up there," he said.
"We'd love to be able to have a team of players who, under pressure, have got a lot of confidence in themselves to kick them, and do kick them."
While inaccuracy is a concern, Thompson rated his side's 6-0 start as "outstanding", and believed the club had negotiated its way through the season's most demanding block of games.
"At the start of the year we thought the first four games were probably the hardest, and we came through that," he said.
"It's a much better start than what he had last year.
"It's a much easier group to coach and in a much better position."
Asked why he thought the club was in a better position given it went 8-0 to start last season, he said: "The way we're playing, the way we've changed our game plan and the way we're just handling every part of football."
