Mourning the lost art of goalkicking
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By Rich_daddy, 19 Jul 2008 Rich_daddy is a Roar Pro
- Tagged:
- AFL, Brendan Fevola, Buddy Franklin, Gary Ablett, Hawthorn, Hawthorn Hawks, Sydney, Tony Lockett, Wayne Carey
I’ve a been a fan of Australian Rules Football for over ten years now and have witnessed several changes to the game, most of which have been beneficial.
However, in recent times, particularly this year, I have witnessed a decline in the quality of goal kicking, particularly from a set shot among AFL players.
Fifteen years ago you would put the house on blokes like Jason Dunstall, Tony Lockett, Wayne Carey and Gary Ablett putting the ball through the big sticks.
However, in today’s game, I am pessimistic of players consistently scoring a goal thirty metres out directly in front.
What I find even more concerning is the nonchalant reactions by many players when they miss these very gettable shots. Most stick their hands up in the air, waiting for the kick out as if nothing bad has happened.
It is almost as if they don’t expect to score these goals from set shots.
I believe this may be a consequence of AFL clubs drafting athletes and training them to become footballers rather than the other way around
The Sydney-Hawthorn game last week was a classic example of the wayward goal kicking trend.
Sydney finished with 10.15 75, the second week in a row they kicked more behinds than points. In perfect conditions, this is simply unforgivable.
Amon Buchanen finished, I think, with 1.4 from 5 very gettable shots, and designated forwards Playfair and Moore also missed easy shots.
Hawthorn wasn’t much better, with Jarryd Roughhead coming in off two steps and missing shots badly and Buddy Franklin scoring 4.7 with 2 out on the full and 1 not making the distance.
Whilst I’m a great admirer of what Franklin can do, his goal kicking technique leaves a lot to be desired.
If a junior coach saw a young player going to the side like Franklin does in the set shot approach, the coach would correct it. Yes, Franklin has scored some great goals from set shots this season, but he has also badly shanked kicks in a game.
I believe Brendan Fevola is the best set shot for goal in the AFL at the moment. He too can be erratic but he has a great technique and is quite beautiful to watch when he is on song.
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Doctor Best said | July 19th 2008 @ 8:58am | Report comment
Rich Daddy, if you think the standard has gone down in the AFL, watch Super 24 or Tri-Nations rugby. Time and again you’ll see players with oodles of time, and a dry ball, shank the thing. Why? Terrible technique. Legs swinging across the ball instead of driving it on a fore and aft line. And the drop is often very poor. Once upon a time, you guys used to hold the ball with both hands splayed over it at the top, whereas rugby players used to cradle it on an angle for a torpedo spiral. Now, the drop punt is king in rugby, and in my book, there’s more margin for error in this style.
Also, when pinpoint accuracy is paramount in rugby – when kicking to touch close to the opposing team’s try line – nobody uses an instep droppie anymore which used to be, and still is if done properly, the most accurate of all kicks. Rules players used to drop kick the ball to each other in short yardage situations. Don’t see too much of that anymore.
Still, there are some kickers in rugby who can put it up the field pretty good – Wilko, Montgomery and Steyne have excellent technique, and the justly famous Campo could unload a torpedo 75 yards with the forward roll. The last Aussie punter of renown was Latho, gone from the game but not forgotten.
Incidently, last week’s Boks/ABs game had almost as much kicking as the Sydney/Hawthorne game.
Forgetmenot said | July 19th 2008 @ 12:34pm | Report comment
I think it would probably all be a mental thing. As the game gets more and more professional and more like a business psychologists are working out how to put off players in the best possible ways.
A lot of todays players would probably beat yesteryears in a goal kicking contest held today.
Michael C said | July 20th 2008 @ 9:41am | Report comment
In the AFL you need to keep mindful of a couple of things:
the greater pace of the game these days, with more forwards pushing further up defensively – after all the extra running – they’ve gotta have trouble settling for the kick……given…..
….the fairly strict 30 second rule which limits the capacity to properly establish where the mark is, and ‘set up’ the run up for the shot on goal
Note also, in the old days of playing on muddier grounds, perhaps a few less ‘speculative’ long shots were attempted,
but, these days, due to the harder running to ‘flood’ the backline, teams are perhaps forced into taking shots from positions (distance and angle) that otherwise in the ‘old days’ would’ve seen a nice lob into the hot spot for the big full forward to mark and goal.
However – - a guy like Lance Franklin is an example of one obvious fact – - if you’ve got a big spearhead like Plugger Lockett who so rarely missed – - the team ‘efficiency’ will look far better than the Hawthorn one does at present – - however, Buddy and Roughead are both only 21, let’s not judge them too harshly until they are 23 or so.
Because, really, a run up to kick from a set shot is almost as personal a thing as is the run up and bowling action for a bowler in cricket – - the text books can only do so much – - a player has to find a comfort zone, both mentally and physically.
- – - – one last thing – - the ruddy bucket of balls – - sometimes, the brand new sherrin can be like a brand new kookaburra in cricket, a little hard to grip, and – - in the past, the one football would be used at least for a full quarter (in wet conditions) if not longer in good conditions. The ball would become easier to kick as the game progressed.