Goal kicking practice?

[marcmurphy3]

Am I the only one wondering why our club doesn't do more goal kicking practice? Over the last few year our conversion rate has been terrible and has been a contributing factor to our decline. In a training report the other day I read that some of the kicking at goal on the run was pretty disgraceful. If we can't kick goals we can't win games. The club should really make the players do repetive goal kicking practice with coaches for half an our or so (both on the run and set shots) a couple of times a week. You know what they say practice makes perfect.

When I watch most other teams and see a player run to the fifty to have a shot at goal I usually expect them to get it but with Carlton I anticipate a miss. Stevens is one guy with great skills who misses a lot more than he should.

I am just bemused that the club hasn't picked this problem up and hasn't worked more to fix it.

Does anyone else feel the same?

 

[BlueBelle]

Totally agree.

There should be more of a focus on goal kicking because as you said, our conversion rate, especially from two of our fowards (Waite and Fisher) has been poor.

No good having a gun side if they can't kick the winning score.

 

[AlecDuncan]

There should be more of a focus on goal kicking because as you said, our conversion rate, especially from two of our fowards (Waite and Fisher) has been poor.

Overall, those two have improved a lot. It's the sitters they miss that make them seem worse than they are.

OTOH, players like Carazzo and Setanta need to practice set shots 24x7. At least Setanta has an excuse for his kicking. FFS, why did anyone let Prenda show him how to kick?

 

[AndyWalkersGirl]

I really think this is an area we need to address ASAP.

We should be hearing about more goalkicking practice - set shots and on the run.

If someone goes to training, or knows someone who will listen, put it to them that this is what needs to be done.

It's embarrassing that we miss so many easy shots.

 

[jj1978]

These guys are professional athletes for whom it is their only job... after regular training I would think it should be expected of them to practice their goal kicking in their own time as well as during practice.. Most people work 40 hour week jobs... I would expect pre-season training and other CFC related things would equate to about 20-25 hours a week.. all it would take is an extra 3-5 hours a week to practice their other skills.

Eg. my biggest peeve are players like Chris Tarrant.. a guy who got paid around 500K to kick goals and would miss quite often... if I got paid 500K to kick goals I would be practicing constantly.

 

[btdg]

Problem is, you can have all the skills training in the world, but you can't replicate the experience of a set shot for goal from 40 metres out at the MCG in a swirling wind in front of 40,000 people.

Its a mental issue as much as anything. And when it comes to shots that players are struggling with that are already well within their skill level, more practice can be a negative. Every player in our team can probably nail shots from 30-40 meters until the cows come home at training. Forcing them to do extra practice would be just as likely to make them less confident in a match situation because it draws more attention to the problem than is necessary.

Fact is, some guys have the nerve to kick those tough mid-range shots, and some struggle. Some players develop that capacity later in their career - I remember Lance Whitnall having the yips a bit early in his career, but as time went on he got better. Same goes for Fevola.

Anyway, Waite and Fisher are the guys most put forward as poor kicks for goal. I disagree with that - I just don't think they win the football consistently enough. If you are regularly getting 4-5 shots for goal, even if you miss an easy one you probably still end up with 2-3 goals. That builds confidence and pretty soon you start putting the tougher ones through more regularly. But those two for various reasons just don't seem to get their 4-5 each week - more often its 2-3 shots. That makes it much easier to end up kicking 0-2, which kills your confidence and makes a minor problem more apparent.

 

[HBF]

Agree with the rest of our posters here, we do need some serious goal kicking practice, and maybe that could be the focus in the lead up to the NAB Cup, and then leading into round 1.

I will say though, our field kicking and decision making was far worse than our kicking at goal, so I am glad to hear that this has been the focus of our preseason thus far.

 

[marcmurphy3]

These guys are professional athletes for whom it is their only job... after regular training I would think it should be expected of them to practice their goal kicking in their own time as well as during practice.. Most people work 40 hour week jobs... I would expect pre-season training and other CFC related things would equate to about 20-25 hours a week.. all it would take is an extra 3-5 hours a week to practice their other skills.

Eg. my biggest peeve are players like Chris Tarrant.. a guy who got paid around 500K to kick goals and would miss quite often... if I got paid 500K to kick goals I would be practicing constantly.

Agree totally. I always think exactly that.

 

[verbs]

Problem is, you can have all the skills training in the world, but you can't replicate the experience of a set shot for goal from 40 metres out at the MCG in a swirling wind in front of 40,000 people.

Its a mental issue as much as anything. And when it comes to shots that players are struggling with that are already well within their skill level, more practice can be a negative. Every player in our team can probably nail shots from 30-40 meters until the cows come home at training. Forcing them to do extra practice would be just as likely to make them less confident in a match situation because it draws more attention to the problem than is necessary.

Fact is, some guys have the nerve to kick those tough mid-range shots, and some struggle. Some players develop that capacity later in their career - I remember Lance Whitnall having the yips a bit early in his career, but as time went on he got better. Same goes for Fevola.

Anyway, Waite and Fisher are the guys most put forward as poor kicks for goal. I disagree with that - I just don't think they win the football consistently enough. If you are regularly getting 4-5 shots for goal, even if you miss an easy one you probably still end up with 2-3 goals. That builds confidence and pretty soon you start putting the tougher ones through more regularly. But those two for various reasons just don't seem to get their 4-5 each week - more often its 2-3 shots. That makes it much easier to end up kicking 0-2, which kills your confidence and makes a minor problem more apparent.

This post makes a lot of sense. Having pot shots at goal after training is nothing like lining up for a set-shot goal during a game.

Waite kicks more than he misses. Has done all his career. He also has kicked a goal with every 7th kick on average. However in the past two seasons he's managed a goal every five kicks, whilst averaging close to ten kicks a game. So he's upped his output to a bit under two goals a game on average. Not bad if he was to play the full 22 in a season. 35 goals a season would be great!

Fisher has kicked on average 2 out of 3 goals through his career. Prior to doing his knee he kicked 34 and missed 14.

 

[Effes]

Waite kicks more than he misses. Has done all his career. .

55% accuracy (70 goals 62 behinds)

 

[verbs]

55% accuracy (70 goals 62 behinds)

That's right. He kicks more than he misses.

 

[marcmurphy3]

That's right. He kicks more than he misses.

Thats still a pretty poor conversion rate.

 

[blues4flag]

55% accuracy (70 goals 62 behinds)

Pretty good considering Fevola is at 59% over the course of his career.

 

[Effes]

59% accuracy (328 goals 228 behinds)

 

[blues4flag]

Anyway, Waite and Fisher are the guys most put forward as poor kicks for goal. I disagree with that - I just don't think they win the football consistently enough. If you are regularly getting 4-5 shots for goal, even if you miss an easy one you probably still end up with 2-3 goals. That builds confidence and pretty soon you start putting the tougher ones through more regularly. But those two for various reasons just don't seem to get their 4-5 each week - more often its 2-3 shots. That makes it much easier to end up kicking 0-2, which kills your confidence and makes a minor problem more apparent.

Interesting, and thought I would compare it to Fevola's over the course of his career.

In his first three seasons, when he was average and struggling for consistency, his accuracy was at a lowly 50%.

Since than, however, (2003 onwards) once he cemented a place as our number one forward, his conversion has improved dramatically. In 2003, he was at 58%, a big improvement over previous years and as high as 66% accuracy in 2005 (a huge suprise, given that he struggled with injury and was unable to get any distance in his kicks later in the season).

 

[Bluebear]

Interesting, and thought I would compare it to Fevola's over the course of his career.

In his first three seasons, when he was average and struggling for consistency, his accuracy was at a lowly 50%.

Since than, however, (2003 onwards) once he cemented a place as our number one forward, his conversion has improved dramatically. In 2003, he was at 58%, a big improvement over previous years and as high as 66% accuracy in 2005 (a huge suprise, given that he struggled with injury and was unable to get any distance in his kicks later in the season).

Sure sent that dummy flying though...........

 

[bibi01]

goalkicking is a major issue at the club

it's not only fisher, waite and carazzo but the whole list needs to workon and improve their goalkicking

fev kicks goals from 60 out or tucked up against the boundary but put him 30m out in front and he is no certinty
he tries to stab the ball thrugh the goal, rather than kick through the ball

kouta is another one who can struggle in front of goal

last year we saw bryan miss easy shots from 20m out
french was another one over the years who would miss from gettable angles and distances

goalkicking is about routine and cnentration.

 

[Brad Pearce]

goalkicking is a major issue at the club

it's not only fisher, waite and carazzo but the whole list needs to workon and improve their goalkicking

fev kicks goals from 60 out or tucked up against the boundary but put him 30m out in front and he is no certinty
he tries to stab the ball thrugh the goal, rather than kick through the ball

kouta is another one who can struggle in front of goal

last year we saw bryan miss easy shots from 20m out
french was another one over the years who would miss from gettable angles and distances

goalkicking is about routine and cnentration.

Collingwood's problem now

 

[Bluebear]

Problem is, you can have all the skills training in the world, but you can't replicate the experience of a set shot for goal from 40 metres out at the MCG in a swirling wind in front of 40,000 people.

Its a mental issue as much as anything. And when it comes to shots that players are struggling with that are already well within their skill level, more practice can be a negative. Every player in our team can probably nail shots from 30-40 meters until the cows come home at training. Forcing them to do extra practice would be just as likely to make them less confident in a match situation because it draws more attention to the problem than is necessary.

Fact is, some guys have the nerve to kick those tough mid-range shots, and some struggle. Some players develop that capacity later in their career - I remember Lance Whitnall having the yips a bit early in his career, but as time went on he got better. Same goes for Fevola.

Anyway, Waite and Fisher are the guys most put forward as poor kicks for goal. I disagree with that - I just don't think they win the football consistently enough. If you are regularly getting 4-5 shots for goal, even if you miss an easy one you probably still end up with 2-3 goals. That builds confidence and pretty soon you start putting the tougher ones through more regularly. But those two for various reasons just don't seem to get their 4-5 each week - more often its 2-3 shots. That makes it much easier to end up kicking 0-2, which kills your confidence and makes a minor problem more apparent.

Sorry btdg.....have to disagree here mate.

Skill acquisition and execution is about repetition of the correct sequence.
A footy player should be practising not only goal kicking ad naseum, but hitting leads, kicking out from behinds.

You're right about saying you can't replictae game pressure and crowd roar etc when you kick, but the action should be the same (especially in TD with no wind) every time. I'll bet you if you see a player with the yips a floor can be found in his action:
Lifting the head, not guiding the ball straight, kicking leg coming through on an angle etc.
These are elements of skill acquisition that must be perfected, so that if there is a tense situation in the game, or crowd making lots of noise its has lees impact on you're action.
I reckon apart from one season where he had the yips, Matty Lloyd kicks the ball almost the same way everytime. Why do you think he tosses grass up, even when he is 10m out.......it routine. Pull the socks up, toss the grass, left then right etc....always the same.

Think of a golfer with putting yips, a basketballer missing free throws, a tennis player with serving yips.
They would go out and spend hours and hours with a coach to fix the technique problems and get the consistency.
It should build confidence, not break it.

 

[Johnny_3]

All parts of our teams skill areas need work. from hitting targets to kicking goals. a player at AFL level should be able to carry out the Richmond tactic they used against adelaide.but as you've seen many times during the years kicks into the 50 are intercepted too often and the relatively simple kick catches the whole team off guard which makes for an easy counter attack.

 

[verbs]

Most people at my footy club can slot a goal from 40m out at training, no worries. Many could do it blind-folded. Quite a few can do it from 50+. None of them will ever be AFL standard footballers. And we only practice 4 hours a week.

It's a mental thing. Pressure.

 

[bluesfan]

Agree with the rest of our posters here, we do need some serious goal kicking practice, and maybe that could be the focus in the lead up to the NAB Cup, and then leading into round 1.

I will say though, our field kicking and decision making was far worse than our kicking at goal, so I am glad to hear that this has been the focus of our preseason thus far.

Absolutely correct. Our goalkicking and decision making are the two things that should be addressed throughout the pre-season, and the NAB Cup. Goalkicking should be apart of every skills session as well as working on our decision making. I was very pleased to hear that our decision making and our skills by hand and foot was the main focus of our pre-season. I want to see more goalkicking practice sessions at training.

 

[Snoozer]

Most people at my footy club can slot a goal from 40m out at training, no worries. Many could do it blind-folded. Quite a few can do it from 50+. None of them will ever be AFL standard footballers. And we only practice 4 hours a week.

It's a mental thing. Pressure.

Pressure is for the mentally weak. It's ridiculous how many goals AFL players miss... if you've ever played kick to kick with your mates, the ball would hit the target 9 times out of ten (unless you're a complete spud). All of a sudden you put a pair of posts up one end, and the ball is getting sprayed all over the place, even though your mates are standing in the same spot. It's clearly all in the head. Most players have a relaxed kicking action... when they kick like this they hit the target (ie kick to kick), because there's no pressure.

All that is required is that they eliminate the posts. just kick it to your mate in the crowd... or even better, kick it to the goal umpire... they happen to stand in the middle of the goals. Relax and kick the ball naturally... concentration is over-rated when kicking for goal.... the more you think about it the higher the possibility of error.

Tony Lockett had the best kicking style, and his record reflected it. 2-3 steps and bang... he was described by Eade at Sydney as not only the best kick at goal, but also the best field kick, which shows that his action or mindset didn't change at all when in front of the sticks.