Poor handball, poor kicking for goal.

[Ricmel]

Lots of commentators on the weekend talking about the decline in standards of handball and goal kicking. But none of them seem to be able to explain it. To me it seems pretty simple. It is all about the pace of the game. Players have less time than ever to get a handball away and by the time a player gets a set shot for goal they are mentally and often physically knackered.

No question in my mind that the handball we are seeing at the moment misses the target far more than it did just a few years ago. And when you watch players from Roos missing set shot after set shot from inside 40 you have to think something is going on. Something is fundamentally different today to what it was a few years ago.

I think it is time.

Players today work in a shoebox. Most teams have the fitness to operate at high intensity for far longer than ever before and the tackling skills have improved out of sight since 2008. The ball carrier today has far less time than he did a few years ago. Even when in the clear they will be picked up pretty quickly.

All that movement, that pace, that quick decision making and most importantly the lack of downtime in games also tires players mentally. That effects their ability to focus on a shot for goal.

Will the AFL eventually need to act? At the moment it feels Ok but it would not take much more intensity to make this game just too frantic.

 

[MotleyLemon]

Lots of commentators?

You mean Luke Darcy? Yeah I think I'd agree with the massive potential for a big story there, best in the business.

There is always going to be skill error in our game, with the shape of the ball, the movement of players and such.

Massive over reaction.

 

[Bleeeeeeeeep]

I think the North boys had chewy on there boots, B.Scott has addressed the situation and no more Hubba Bubba in the pre game worm up.

 

[Quivorir]

The goal posts are just too high. Confuses the players.

 

[Power Raid]

the game is prettier to watch now than any other time in the last 40 years

 

[SJ]

Lots of commentators on the weekend talking about the decline in standards of handball and goal kicking. But none of them seem to be able to explain it. To me it seems pretty simple. It is all about the pace of the game. Players have less time than ever to get a handball away and by the time a player gets a set shot for goal they are mentally and often physically knackered.

No question in my mind that the handball we are seeing at the moment misses the target far more than it did just a few years ago. And when you watch players from Roos missing set shot after set shot from inside 40 you have to think something is going on. Something is fundamentally different today to what it was a few years ago.

I think it is time.

Players today work in a shoebox. Most teams have the fitness to operate at high intensity for far longer than ever before and the tackling skills have improved out of sight since 2008. The ball carrier today has far less time than he did a few years ago. Even when in the clear they will be picked up pretty quickly.

All that movement, that pace, that quick decision making and most importantly the lack of downtime in games also tires players mentally. That effects their ability to focus on a shot for goal.

Will the AFL eventually need to act? At the moment it feels Ok but it would not take much more intensity to make this game just too frantic.

I don't think the standard of goal kicking has slipped.

 

[Supercoach Bargain]

I don't think the standard of goal kicking has slipped.

Neither do I, in general play.

The part of the game that has declined is the set shot at goal. That is not down to the players, in my view.

There used to be a full forward (Dunstall, Plugger, Ablett, etc) whose job it was to kick them and they did.

About five players will rotate through the "deep forward" position during a game now, they are not the specialist at it.

Pavlich had a run on the ball a few times on Sunday, imagine Plugger having a run in the middle?

 

[Upgrayedd]

I feel like if we can tell teams to apply less pressure on the opposition teams. More cleaner ball movement will come out of it. Less work and better kicking at goal

sydney/brisbane. Started this type of football and has destroyed the game. Typical, should boot them out of the comp imo

Give me a medal.

 

[StonesThrow]

Certain players are bad at kicking for goal but in general I haven't seen a change.

I'd actually say the standard of handball (when they are legitimate handballs) has gotten better as it's ridiculously fast now. Most bad handballs I see are because of decision making, not skill.

 

[master bate]

Poor goal kicking is a separate issue. In terms of poor handball I'd say:

Hawthorn, Sydney, Freo don't seem to struggle much. Port didn't last year. West Coast moved the ball like they were playing at Etihad despite playing in a flood and kicked 12 straight. GWS were flawless at times by hand and foot, they missed several chances almost due to overusing it as it became too easy.

It's mainly the bad teams who struggle. And you're right, it's due to the pressure exerted.

Junior development in AFL is taking off but from a low base.

Victoria leads the way for recruits but development has been poor. Yet it's changing. Development for 10-15 year olds is going through the roof. It's no longer just Auskick in to a local club run by dads who played some local footy then if you're lucky TAC where development hasn't been really elite either.

NSW and QLD are showing what can be done by professionally run development programs. Victorian Footy is taking notice I bet. If NSW and QLD can turn from 0 early round picks in a decade to 4 or so in the first 2 rounds each year just by academies then the TAC can raise the bar and so can SA and WA.

The stretch to 18 clubs and giving so many highly talented kids to 2 clubs have really hurt the bottom teams. With increased development resources that will start to even out (at least I hope). More talent for everyone and high level talent for the worst clubs (and spread evenly).

Melbourne, St Kilda even Rich, Coll, Bris, Ess, Gold Coast, possibly the Dogs with injuries will serve up some slops this year. All of these sides don't have the depth of class footballers to produce slick ball movement every week. Geel have issues more with work rate and winning the ball than skill I'd say. But there's talent on each of those lists and I think all will get better pretty quickly (regardless of whether that means improvement up the ladder). With the worst of these sides getting access to high level talent each year in the draft things should turn.

Carlton are probably the one team right now who are really on the wrong side of getting skilled footballers in to the team. Any short term improvement will likely be from improving their work rate and defensive skills.

 

[Eshay187]

Luke Darcy had 2 examples in one whole game, both from Geelong.

Firstly, 2 is really not that bad, and secondly they were under pressure.

 

[Eddie Dingle]

I think the North boys had chewy on there boots, B.Scott has addressed the situation and no more Hubba Bubba in the pre game worm up.

See there's your problem right there.

 

[Cmarsh]

I feel like if we can tell teams to apply less pressure on the opposition teams. More cleaner ball movement will come out of it. Less work and better kicking at goal

sydney/brisbane. Started this type of football and has destroyed the game. Typical, should boot them out of the comp imo

Give me a medal.

So in other words players should not go in as hard? No thanks.

 

[hawkman]

So in other words players should not go in as hard? No thanks.

Have teams play like Melbourne or Gold Coast did on the weekend and watch goal accuracy rise

 

[JoondalupJ]

Lots of commentators?

You mean Luke Darcy? Yeah I think I'd agree with the massive potential for a big story there, best in the business.

There is always going to be skill error in our game, with the shape of the ball, the movement of players and such.

Massive over reaction.

Its definitely not a massive over reaction, in fact it quite correct. For me I've seen the in close contact tackles and the getaway handball that isn't even a handball. That's the worst part for me, I see throwing every week.
I also agree that the frantic pace is a great part of goal missing with tired legs.
But also injury lists are massive for all clubs , collision is what our sport is, but the bigger faster and harder these blokes become the bigger faster harder to get over injuries becomes and the more injuries we are seeing..
It needs to be left now and kept about what we've got , we need to clarify some umpiring decisions that I'm afraid are baffling me. I thought we'd developed some sense into the training of umpires , but them giving frivolous 50 m penalties for any side is aggravating me terribly.

 

[JoondalupJ]

Luke Darcy had 2 examples in one whole game, both from Geelong.

Firstly, 2 is really not that bad, and secondly they were under pressure.

I'm glad you kept those nice colours on Buddy.

 

[TooFar]

Luke Darcy is a flog. Is that relevant?

 

[billy fragos]

Players are running a lot more than they have previously, a guy like Riewoldt will run the entir pitch 10 times without stopping before he marks inside 50 and as soon as he picks it up he hears "15 seconds".

 

[Spook]

* me. Luke Darcy speaks some crap and someone makes a thread about it..... Really ffs