Kicking Goals

[Vader]

Including the MMC campaign, we're now 10 games into the 2010 season. In that time we've kicked the following scores:
MMC Wk1: 1.8.10 (67)
MMC Wk2: 8.4 (52)
MMC Wk3: 9.15 (69)
MMC Wk4: 12.11 (83)

R1: 9.8 (62)
R2: 11.9 (75)
R3: 5.11 (41)
R4: 6.19 (55)
R5: 10.12 (72)
R6: 10.14 (74)

In 10 games our highest total is just 12 goals, having kicked 10+ on just 4 occasions. We're averaging just 8.9 goals per game. You won't win many games by scoring at such a poor rate.

The question then is what we can do to improve our scoring ability?

• Tippett and Porplyzia are finally starting to come into a bit of form - Tippett has kicked 6 in the last two weeks, while Porps has managed 5. They're still a fair way off their best though, as evidenced by Porplyzia running out of legs in the second half yesterday (he only managed 2 disposals in the 2nd half after being BOG to the long break).
• Burton isn't the answer - the forward line looks far better when he's NOT inside the 50, getting in the way of everyone else.
• Stevens looked dangerous yesterday - but his return of 1.6 clearly shows that appearances can be deceptive.
• Walker probably isn't the answer, particularly given that he can't even find a position in our severely depleted team at present.
• Knights is miles off it - and currently MIA through injury anyway. Even if he does return, it's going to take him at least a month to get back to his usual level of match fitness.
• As a small forward, Petrenko would probably make a great small defender.

Where are our goals going to come from? How do we get back to kicking 20+ goals regularly, when we're struggling to kick 10 on a regular basis right now?

 

[jenny61_99]

Poor goal kicking isn't a new feature of our game though, is it Vader? It has been a problem that has plagued us for years. In previous years though, it was because we didn't have any damned forwards! Now I think it's a combination of a depleted mid-field not providing good delivery and then poor efficiency once we do get it in.

It's a fundamental part of the game though, and whilst the players may be getting it right on the training track, they clearly fold under the pressure of a game. It's what is between the ears at the moment. Good to see Porps and Tippy gaining some confidence in the last two weeks. Get Danger, Walker and Knights back into the team and get them fit and firing, and we'll improve in this regard.

In danger of sounding like a broken record, I'd really like to see McLeod in the forward lines - essentially directing traffic and being our small roving forward. We never seem to have someone at the fall of the ball and the opposition are just rebounding out far too quickly. If he's not kicking the goals he could be setting them up.

 

[Pariah]

I would like to see Edwards and Mcleod spend more time up forward.
With Stevens back in the side I love to see Davis play up forward while Tippett plays in the ruck and while Tex isn't getting games.

 

[Kennyrocks]

Accuracy continues to be a problem.

 

[spexau]

In fairness to Stevens most of his shots were quick snaps out of packs. He kicked 1.1 from set shots from memory, maybe 1.2 but he's usually pretty reliable. Problem is we don't have enough midfielders kicking goals like we did at the end of last year

 

[Kennyrocks]

In fairness to Stevens most of his shots were quick snaps out of packs. He kicked 1.1 from set shots from memory, maybe 1.2 but he's usually pretty reliable. Problem is we don't have enough midfielders kicking goals like we did at the end of last year

Not having a crack a Stevens here, he was far from our worst but if they were so difficult then why was he taking such low percentage shots? Surely if this is true he should have found a better option. Inaccurate kicking or a few difficult shots is one thing, but there is no excuse for 1.6, just not good enough at AFL level.

 

[WALL-e]

The type of F50 entries we are getting is a big problem. Wide, slow and inaccurate.

 

[spexau]

Not having a crack a Stevens here, he was far from our worst but if they were so difficult then why was he taking such low percentage shots? Surely if this is true he should have found a better option. Inaccurate kicking or a few difficult shots is one thing, but there is no excuse for 1.6, just not good enough at AFL level.

I think it was more like, get a quick kick out of a contested situation type thing going on. He didn't really have time to survey the situation. But you're right he should've kicked 3.3 or 2.4 atleast. May have given us more confidence but that's all done for now.

 

[RoosterLad]

Fud kicked 9 yesterday bring him back.

 

[Pilchard_Adams]

We have kicked 89.113 so far. This is not AFL standard, I would start by some serious goal kicking sessions. I would also probably be right assuming we have the highest OOF total.

Burton needs to go, give walker time IN THE FORWARD LINE!!

Bring in ANY Ruckman, even if they spend 40% on the field just to relieve Maric. So Tippett can stay forward.

Petrenko down back, Goodwin up forward.

Leave Stevens up forward. Looked good apart from the accuracy.

 

[frednerk33]

We need to develop some who can kick from 50. We miss it.

Get Walker tough in the head, up and going, then include him. Maybe ask his old lady to smack him around a bit.

Test the side on who can kick long and rotate them through HFF/Fpocket, and instruct those around to go out of their way to shepherd/protect him to create opportunities.

Try Davis at CHF, tell him to use his big elbows. If his injury doesn't cause a miss next week.

Pay Big Barry, or someone bad, some $$ on the side to teach our youngsters how to think hard.

Forget a kicking coach, put some other incentive in place with kicking practise. Maybe only a visit to the wife/GF/BF if you kick so many goals at practise - chat to their significant other. Or to be positive rather than negative, double the visits if they do good. At their age that stuff still counts And think of the fitness - 7km runs !!

 

[StillCrowing]

It's pretty clear that we can only score goals with any resemblance of consistency by marking inside 50. We're getting a lack of return from midfield on the scoreboard and goals from outside 50 are an absolute rarity. It's all a bit formulaic at the moment.

 

[The Sloane Ranger]

IMO it comes back to structure

I would like to see Kurt Tippett play CHF not FF and Walker come in and play FF

I would also push Davis forward and Stevens back and have both Porpyzia and Pizza boy working as the small forwards withone midfielder rotating through the forward zone

my structure

F Davis Walker Midfield rotation

HF Porplyzia Tippett Douglas

 

[StonesThrow]

Best poster on here.

 

[Kennyrocks]

Fud kicked 9 yesterday bring him back.

Only because the star defender did his ACL and couldn't play

 

[frednerk33]

IMO it comes back to structure

I would like to see Kurt Tippett play CHF not FF and Walker come in and play FF

I would also push Davis forward and Stevens back and have both Porpyzia and Pizza boy working as the small forwards withone midfielder rotating through the forward zone

my structure

F Davis Walker Midfield rotation

HF Porplyzia Tippett Douglas

Nice strategy. Watch the teams though... I gather positioning may not quite work like that any more

 

[smoovy]

Bad kicking aside (which certainly doesn't help), we have not fashioned above 25 scoring shots once. When you think that we kicked 27 and 26 goals in a single match towards the end of the season it just shows you how much we have struggled.

I have always said you need to get 30 scoring shots to almost guarantee a win. I am sure someone would prove me wrong, but I would say the way the game is played now, there would only be a handful of sides that have had 30 shots in game and lost.

Also the only way you will get 30 shots is if you have midfielders making a significant contribution. There is a large tendency to overate what the forward line is doing. The forward line can't polish a ****.

It is not good enough that Vince has just 1.1 this year. He should be having 2-4 shots per match. Especially considering he is a thumping kick and a great finisher, something we lack. We've also had a combine 0.2 from Edwards, Reilly, McKay and Goodwin. I realise some of them are more back than forward, but that really does typify our lack or midfield run.