Analysis Goal kicking and kicking the ball in general...

[Pater44]

Every year, all year we have the same issues and it is never addressed. Our goal kicking!!!

I could guarantee that in one session with our mob I could address our terrible field kicking and definitely our shots on goal.

This is coming from a person who has played sport at the elite level. All be it basketball, I believe I have the answer and would love our team to read this and take it on board.

I am tall, 200cm and never really played much afl when I was younger. I played soccer and basketball. Hand eye coordination second to none but when I started get interested in kicking the football recreationally after my playing days gees it was hard to master!!!!

I found that the comfortable way of kicking the ball was frustrating to say the least. Comfortable meaning standing straight up, dropping the ball at height and a nice long swing through. This had to change. Yes every now and then I would connect perfectly and the ball would travel miles (a little mayo added), but more likely the ball slewed off the side of my boot and went nowhere near my intended target.

I thought to myself I need to limit the amount the ball can move in the air before it hits my boot. Being tall as I said, I looked at the best kick for goal in afl history and took on the approach of Tony Lockett. So I now lean over the ball to minimise the ball drop........... You watch how Locket approaches each set shot. The first thing he does is lean over (almost touching his toes) with the ball then start moving in. It works!!!!

For the love of the club get the boys leaning over the ball when kicking. It takes the wind out of the game, minimises movement of the ball between hand and foot and makes the ball go straight!!!

Yes you may lose a bit in distance from this technique but no one cares if you are kicking it between the big sticks.


On iPad using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Blue__Balls]

Gonna forward this on to the club now - look forward to seeing us kick 18.2.110 next week. Problem solved.

Appreciate the sentiment, but I reckon if it was as simple as "bend over" we would have sorted this a while back.

The issues we face are more mental than physical, we've seemingly got a lot of players with a little bit of self-doubt, and they know that a goal here or there could be the difference. Cue: choke.

Once we start winning games and we get some momentum, that'll carry through to basic skill execution too.

 

[Pater44]

I ask you to do one thing before you bag it. try it yourself. if you can’t be bothered just have a look at the shots on goal each week and actually look at how upright we are on both the approach and kick. It frustrates me every week to have no confidence in anyone in front of goal...


On iPad using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[thylacine60]

take it to the club

 

[Pater44]

I would love to, but unfortunately I have no contacts whatsoever in football. I’m just a lonely Carlton fanatic who wants us to get better!!!! Each year I am really optimistic and each year I see the same skill errors that cripple our self belief. We have talent to burn but we need to learn how to finish. And it starts with kicking goals not points... Goals builds belief and behinds build doubt...


On iPad using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Pafloyul]

It's really only a 'natural' feature of a small number of players, the rest is a lack of confidence. You don't draft exclusively for good skills, you simply avoid players with poor ones, unless you're scraping the barrel.

 

[The Blue Baggers]

Paddy Dow !!

 

[Pater44]

I’m talking goal kicking general though. Why has goal kicking in general never gotten any better? Because the margin for error is still to high. We are drafting taller and taller kids with the distance between hand and foot ever increasing. It’s no coincidence that some of the kicks in the game are shorter players.
If you minimise the distance between hand and foot the ball has less space to move off line.
Try kicking the ball on a windy day with a high ball drop... Clanger after Clanger...


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Jabba73]

take it to the bank