How would you fix the yips?

If Ben Brown came to the Lions I'd be so conflicted. I genuinely rage at his half a football field run up. It's the modern Matthew Lloyd preparation. That and his dives are embarrassing to watch.

Agree, but I'd take the wins with a smile.

We don't know how that sort of forward would work with our games style. It'd be a trade off between number of shot opportunities v the ball being constantly kicked to brown and him kicking with a better percentage. Might be swings and round about.

Best option is for our current guys to improve cause we know our game style (excluding Saturday) is a winner.
 
Agree, but I'd take the wins with a smile.

We don't know how that sort of forward would work with our games style. It'd be a trade off between number of shot opportunities v the ball being constantly kicked to brown and him kicking with a better percentage. Might be swings and round about.

Best option is for our current guys to improve cause we know our game style (excluding Saturday) is a winner.
We would have to adapt our F50 entry style I think. Right now we tend to like a crazy kick in or putting it On the head of the pack, either way to allow a small crumber to snap once it spills, ideally over the back when we’re goalside. Occasionally one of the talls marks but rarely is it on a lead. Brown tends to do better on a strong lead than he does trying to wrestle his way into a mark like Hawkins, for example.
 
We would have to adapt our F50 entry style I think. Right now we tend to like a crazy kick in or putting it On the head of the pack, either way to allow a small crumber to snap once it spills, ideally over the back when we’re goalside. Occasionally one of the talls marks but rarely is it on a lead. Brown tends to do better on a strong lead than he does trying to wrestle his way into a mark like Hawkins, for example.
The map of where our goals came from on the weekend was telling. Just about every kick came from deep in one pocket. Those are not high percentage shots.
 
The map of where our goals came from on the weekend was telling. Just about every kick came from deep in one pocket. Those are not high percentage shots.

Yep. I am convinced our accuracy issues come from two areas:

1) WHERE we take our shots

And

2) WHO takes our shots.

Point one is exactly as you said, low % shots = more behinds kicked. It makes it a lot harder to punish the opposition when you're not giving yourself the best opportunity to do so.

Point two is related to the selfish v selfless debate. I watch a team like the Eagles and you can see hey are always looking to pass to the person closest to goals. We had several moments against the Roos where a player is running at full speed into the forward 50 and instead of passing to a free team mate for a set shot. If you take into consideration the fatigue of the past month of footy + regular in game fatigue, it makes nailing those on the run shots a whole lot harder than a regular season. If we look to set players up instead of taking the long shot at goal, our accuracy is guaranteed to go up a notch.

Realistically, we aren't that far off AFL average if you take out our few really bad games - if we fix the above up it's bound to improve.
 
Jan 9, 2019
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The map of where our goals came from on the weekend was telling. Just about every kick came from deep in one pocket. Those are not high percentage shots.
Agree. Our team often speak about being "selfless" yet often shots (set & in play shots) at goal are from difficult angles and situations where really they should look at handing it off to another option that could make it easier to score goals. (either less pressure from the opposition or someone in a better spot to kick the goal. If you look at our players who have hit the scoreboard, the low % kickers are mostly our mid fielders.
 
Point two is related to the selfish v selfless debate. I watch a team like the Eagles and you can see hey are always looking to pass to the person closest to goals. We had several moments against the Roos where a player is running at full speed into the forward 50 and instead of passing to a free team mate for a set shot. If you take into consideration the fatigue of the past month of footy + regular in game fatigue, it makes nailing those on the run shots a whole lot harder than a regular season. If we look to set players up instead of taking the long shot at goal, our accuracy is guaranteed to go up a notch.
McCluggage's one last week was an obvious option - four on one, and the furthest from the goal took the ping. Mathieson also failed to spot a free man on a more direct angle (or thought he wouldn't get it to them with his loopy kicking style) before getting it to someone in the pocket again. Once we've gotten it into the pocket it's generally too late to spot someone in a better position because the opposition will have flooded back.
 
Agree. Our team often speak about being "selfless" yet often shots (set & in play shots) at goal are from difficult angles and situations where really they should look at handing it off to another option that could make it easier to score goals. (either less pressure from the opposition or someone in a better spot to kick the goal. If you look at our players who have hit the scoreboard, the low % kickers are mostly our mid fielders.

I think it starts from Zorko too - he seems to be taking low % shots instead of passing more this year than last. If the captain is doing it, why wouldn't the likes of Berry, McCluggage etc follow suit? Starts with him.
 
McCluggage's one last week was an obvious option - four on one, and the furthest from the goal took the ping. Mathieson also failed to spot a free man on a more direct angle (or thought he wouldn't get it to them with his loopy kicking style) before getting it to someone in the pocket again. Once we've gotten it into the pocket it's generally too late to spot someone in a better position because the opposition will have flooded back.
Agree - that's why your first option should be top of the goal square or leading from there. Richmond did this really well against us when we played them this year and also in our game at the MCG late in the season last year.
 

blackers

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Checking the stats, I was surprised that our inaccuracy isn't across the whole team. Of players who have had more than 8 shots at goal, here are the ones who are at 50% or below:

Neale, 11 goals 11 behinds
Zorko, 6 goals 10 behinds
McCluggage, 5 goals 13 behinds
Berry, 3 goals 8 behinds
Lyons, 2 goals 6 behinds

So it isn't the forwards, it's the mids who aren't kicking straight. And it is not like they can't kick straight or shouldn't be taking the shots. They took plenty of shots in 2019 and produced:

Neale, 12 goals 7 behinds
Zorko, 23 goals 19 behinds
McCluggage, 23 goals 14 behinds
Berry, 8 goals 10 behinds
Lyons, 14 goals 10 behinds

Only Berry was particularly inaccurate last year and even then he was better than he's been this year.

Obviously, these five are tearing it up in the midfield, so I'm not trying to criticise. But it suggests the solution is largely just for these five guys to practice more goalkicking and keep taking open shots when they come.
 
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Checking the stats, I was surprised that our inaccuracy isn't across the whole team. Of players who have had more than 8 shots at goal, here are the ones who are at 50% or below:

Neale, 11 goals 11 behinds
Zorko, 6 goals 10 behinds
McCluggage, 5 goals 13 behinds
Berry, 3 goals 8 behinds
Lyons, 2 goals 6 behinds

So it isn't the forwards, it's the mids who aren't kicking straight. And it is not like they can't kick straight or shouldn't be taking the shots. They took plenty of shots in 2019 and produced:

Neale, 12 goals 7 behinds
Zorko, 23 goals 19 behinds
McCluggage, 23 goals 14 behinds
Berry, 8 goals 10 behinds
Lyons, 14 goals 10 behinds

Only Berry was particularly inaccurate last year and even then he was better than he's been this year.

Obviously, these five are tearing it up in the midfield, so I'm not trying to criticise. But it suggests the solution is largely just for these five guys to practice more goalkicking and keep taking open shots when they come.
Agree with most of what you said until the last sentence. They dont need any more goalkicking practice than they already do.....they need to look at better options and stop taking the kick thats high in difficulty. In other words, be more selfless.
 
Agree with most of what you said until the last sentence. They dont need any more goalkicking practice than they already do.....they need to look at better options and stop taking the kick thats high in difficulty. In other words, be more selfless.
I am not sure that is all it is?
I think they are more guilty of rushing their kicks when they have more time than they think.
But ultimately it is a combination of all things really.
Some of those kicks on the weekend in particular they were well within their rights to take the shot.
 
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I am not sure that is all it is?
I think they are more guilty of rushing their kicks when they have more time than they think.
But ultimately it is a combination of all things really.
Some of those kicks on the weekend in particular they were well within their rights to take the shot.
Agree somewhat but I can also recall at least 3 times when missed shots at goal were had when a better option was available. I do know its a subject of conversation with the coach's.
 
Cardboard cut-out of Tom Lynch's head behind the goals. Steven May's cut-out down the other end.

See how much respect the boys will show them. ;)

ATM we could put their faces on those covers over the seats directly behind the goals. Hell, I'd donate $50 to see that happen.
 
Agree somewhat but I can also recall at least 3 times when missed shots at goal were had when a better option was available. I do know its a subject of conversation with the coach's.

Caught the end of an ABC612 Greg Swan the interviewer was chatting about the inaccurate goal kicking and Swan said he knows it's an issue for Fagan. Fagan's words we hear are censored and I'm glad to know it that he isn't all 'let's not talk about it' behind closed doors as previously indicated
 
Agree somewhat but I can also recall at least 3 times when missed shots at goal were had when a better option was available. I do know its a subject of conversation with the coach's.

It's not even a general 3 times, it's multiple times a game. Hopefully they can rectify it as if they do, we will start to dominate.
 

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Some of those kicks on the weekend in particular they were well within their rights to take the shot.
Yes, some of them were kickable, like the one Lyons missed or Clugga and Zorko's first misses. Others definitely weren't. Both Berry and Mathieson took shots from near the boundary line 40 odd metres out, there had to be better options.
 
I've finally worked out what I'd do.

I'd encourage them to spend a bit of time over the break kicking some set shots blindfolded. So set themselves up 10m out, pop a sleep mask type blindfold over their eyes and take the shot. Once they've mastered that position, they can move to another spot and nail it. Sounds really stupid, but it means they would be totally focused on the technique and feel of the kick. Then in a game they know they can kick blindfolded and confidence shoots up.

Feel free to tell me why you think it's a stupid idea, but please add your suggestion at the same time.
 
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Maybe they just need a reminder
 
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