Who are the league's best kicks?

[LeverPuller]

Following on from a discussion started by Lance Uppercut in the AA thread, I'm wondering who you think the league's best kicks are?

When I say best kicks though, I'm not just talking about disposal efficiency. DE% seems to reward guys that are doing the 15m sideways kick - because it's hitting the target efficiently, thus a positive on your DE. Players doing more contested work and kicking to more one-on-ones and contests are naturally going to have lower DE%.

If I was going to nominate one from Melbourne, I'd suggest Jack Watts. Watts' kicking is brilliant. His field kicking is just sublime. He shows vision, accuracy but also a strong ability to kick to the biased side of contests - the side which will benefit his teammate the most at the contest. If anything, sometimes he tries to kick it too well and thread the needle, which can cause major turnovers. That said, the last part has less of a presence in his game at this point.

Some other ones IMO include Scott Pendlebury, Zach Merrett, Heath Shaw (who accumulates but also has real penetration in his kicking), Sam Docherty (see Shaw), Matt Suckling and Grant Birchall.

Thoughts?

 

[reggie]

Pendles has to be right up there. Lewis Jetta is amazing when on like last Thursday night

 

[coniglio_number1]

Shannon hurn

 

[Aeglos]

Don't really rate Suckling.
Has a 1 in 10 Hail Mary that comes off but not much consistency.
Sam Mitchell and Ryan Burton are 2 that I rate when factoring in decision making and consistency of disposal. Bob Murphy is the only other that immediately springs to mind (sure there are others in addition to those mentioned in the OP just having a mental blank atm)

 

[Forward Press]

Clayton Oliver.

 

[Nostradumbass]

What are Sucklings stats? The last few times I've watched him his kicks have been ordinary.

 

[blue harvest]

What are Sucklings stats? The just few times I've watched him his kicks have been ordinary.

His kicking is massively over rated. Shanks every second kick. Only comes up in these conversations because of his unique kicking style, so when he nails one you really remember it.

 

[Milanista28]

Zach Merrett has the best kick in the comp for me, I'm biased sure but his kicking is ultra elite.

 

[GUMBLETRON]

Zach Merrett has the best kick in the comp for me, I'm biased sure but his kicking is ultra elite.

Very tidy, but not as damaging as some - doesn't have the penetration.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Champion Data has it as Pendlebury. Last season it was Duncan.

 

[Young Gun #6]

Polec for us.

Hartlett used to have one of the best low spearing long kicks in the league, now it's meh.

 

[Beer n Skittles]

Toby Greene

 

[compact72]

For set shots it's Dead-Eye Tory Dickson. Best set shot kick in the comp

 

[Wojcinski]

Dangerfield

 

[Bomberblitzer]

Joe Daniher's field kicking is up there. Same goes for Franklin.

Hurley would be one that doesn't get mentioned a lot but I think he's elite on both sides.

 

[Marmozet]

For a rookie who's only played 8 games, Port Adelaide's Dan Houston is worthy of being in this conversation.

 

[offtherails9]

Toby Greene

Funny.. I was reading his Inside Football ratings from a few years ago recently and his disposal was his biggest knock - 'not up to AFL standard' and 'couldn't hit the side of a barn'.

 

[Golden_6]

His kicking is massively over rated. Shanks every second kick. Only comes up in these conversations because of his unique kicking style, so when he nails one you really remember it.

I think it works the opposite. Due to his unique kicking style and nature of picking extremely hard options (encouraged by the coaching staff to break open a press), his really bad kicks stick out like a sore thumb and look quite terrible. His clanger numbers are quite low and he stills pulls off kicks that IMO no one else in the comp can, let alone consider trying.

 

[10571z]

Pendles, Mitchell, Merret

 

[schmuttt]

Always loved watching Bob Murphy on the run, is equally as good off both sides.

Salem, Hibberd and Watts would be Melbournes best.

 

[Yippy Yi Yeo]

In no particular order off the top of my head:

Tex walker, Pendlebury, Duncan, Motlop, Shaw, Kelly, Watts, Buddy, Jetta, Hurn (not so much anymore), S Mitchell

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

For us, McDonald this year and Sam Wright in 2015 before his injuries would be two of north's better kicks.

 

[TerryWallet]

Nathan Wilson and Shannon Hurn have power, length, precision and consistency.

Bob Murphy is a dual sided kicking artist.

Scott Pendlebury adds vision to his great kicking touch. When he gets the ball from centre/forward his delivery almost certainly results in a shot at goal for his team.

 

[citizen-erased]

Field
Sam Mitchell, Merrett, Ablett, Watts and Pendles are my top 5

Goal Kicks
Buddy, Patton, Lynch & Wright would be the 3 i rate best.

As for the Essendon players
Goddard, Hurley, Tippa, Parish, Langford and Fantasia would be the best behind Merrett

 

[HolyRioli]

Has Goddard's kicking dropped off that much that Bombers fans have completely forgotten about him? Has been an elite kick for his career.