The Secret to Straight Kicking

[Dosser]

So what do we think of Reid's action and ball drop in this picture?

I have commented on this in several threads - it is WAY too high! If you were to compare it to either Plugger or Dunkley, it would be at the Dunkley end. I KNOW this because it was my original action as well and I had to get it coached out of me before I could get consistent accuracy. Every time I see it I cringe as it could go anywhere.

[wolftone57]

On a wet windy day it would result in a clanger.The wind would blow the ball one way or the other before the foot connected. The best technique is to leave one hand on the ball until contact so the ball is guided to the boot. Reid is dropping the ball rather than guiding it.

On a dry windless day this looks like a good drop that could easily result in a straight kick. Great body position for the kick and lovely synchranisation

I agree with you and he holds the ball on the bottom that is why he kicks so flat, if he held in the middle he would get perfect trajectory. He has changed the hold in recent weeks I noticed for better results. McGlinn generally does it right, have a look at his ball hold and drop it is 90% perfect but that still doesn't ensure accuracy in wretched conditions and we have played in some of the worst this year. By the way you need to take into account wind swirl & wet ball etc in those cons.

[wolftone57]

So what do we think of Reid's action and ball drop in this picture?

Between one & two foot too high. The ball has already left his hands & his hands right hand, the guiding hand is far too high to have let the ball go. He has already dropped the ball about a foot & that is where the drop should have started.

[Hartijon]

So thats it then.Our poor kicking comes from poor technique due to poor coaching.I was taught as a kid never to drop the ball like that! Our coaches demonstrated then drilled us.

[Lucky Knickers]

So thats it then.Our poor kicking comes from poor technique due to poor coaching.I was taught as a kid never to drop the ball like that! Our coaches demonstrated then drilled us.

How about we give our coaches a little time to correct Sammy's technique. He needs to overcome these bad Bright habits he's collected!

[wolftone57]

How about we give our coaches a little time to correct Sammy's technique. He needs to overcome these bad Bright habits he's collected!

We have a backman as Forward Coach doesn't that tell you how our blokes are going to kick. We also have this bull@@@@ at this club that we have to go around changing players kicking actions especially if they are lefties. The people who are trying hard to correct their actions just happen to be right footed & this is a major problem as they have no conception how to kick left footed. I am a leftie & I was horrified when a coach in Adelaide started interfering with my kicking style, in Melbourne the coaches had only corrected my ball grip & drop but not my natural run in. Ryano had the most beautiful lefty run to goal so direct for a lefty but some stupid mongrel started stuffing around with his confidence and saying because it looked wrong (in other words for a right footer) it was wrong. He has suffered because someone tried to correct his action. We have quite a few left footers in our side as do the Hawks, they have managed theirs as lefties, we still try to manage them as right footers. But the problem is still the Forward Coach is a BACKMAN!!!

[Big Al]

But the problem is still the Forward Coach is a BACKMAN!!!

So your saying Wolfie that if you played in defense, that as a coach you're incapable of imparting any knowledge with regards to the forwards. I don't quite understand your logic there. Experienced coaches at AFL level have intimate knowlede of how the games played, the structures involved and the mechanics of the skills of the game. If they didn't have those things they wouldn't be coaching at this level. So therefore coaches should be able to fill any role whether it be forward, back or midfield.

[Triple B]

We have a backman as Forward Coach doesn't that tell you how our blokes are going to kick. We also have this bull@@@@ at this club that we have to go around changing players kicking actions especially if they are lefties. The people who are trying hard to correct their actions just happen to be right footed & this is a major problem as they have no conception how to kick left footed. I am a leftie & I was horrified when a coach in Adelaide started interfering with my kicking style, in Melbourne the coaches had only corrected my ball grip & drop but not my natural run in. Ryano had the most beautiful lefty run to goal so direct for a lefty but some stupid mongrel started stuffing around with his confidence and saying because it looked wrong (in other words for a right footer) it was wrong. He has suffered because someone tried to correct his action. We have quite a few left footers in our side as do the Hawks, they have managed theirs as lefties, we still try to manage them as right footers. But the problem is still the Forward Coach is a BACKMAN!!!

One of your best Wolfy, total load of garbage.

You don't think a backman picked up anything along the way about things he found hard to handle as a backman? He then uses his experience on what he found hard to combat to teach the forwards.

Do you think having an insight into what a backman is trying to do would not be beneficial to the forwards?

As for the 'The people who are trying hard to correct their actions just happen to be right footed' part, I give you,,,

Exhibit A - Stewart Dew
Exhibit B - Stuart Maxfield.

Seriously, admit it, you've made that all up about trying to change left footers kicking actions.

[wolftone57]

One of your best Wolfy, total load of garbage.

You don't think a backman picked up anything along the way about things he found hard to handle as a backman? He then uses his experience on what he found hard to combat to teach the forwards.

Do you think having an insight into what a backman is trying to do would not be beneficial to the forwards?

Why are backmen backmen T? It is because they don't kick for goal as well as a forward.
As for the 'The people who are trying hard to correct their actions just happen to be right footed' part, I give you,,,

Exhibit A - Stewart Dew
Exhibit B - Stuart Maxfield.

Seriously, admit it, you've made that all up about trying to change left footers kicking actions.

No someone started stuffing around with O'Keefe's action (about 3 years ago) because he changed it and started kicking inaccurately. Forward Coaches should have been forwards, PERIOD! Backmen can give training on forward defensive skills but Forward Coaches today should already be aware of them. Can John Blakey tell a Sam Reid where to lead like Jason Dunstall could? Nick Davis I'm sure would be able to give advice to the small forwards but can Blakey show where they should be? He has never played that role, he has been a mid & a defender not a forward. The fact that our goal kicking is crap has to be put down to someone so who takes the side for the specialist goal kicking that Longmire talked about? Whoever they are it isn't working so get someone else to do it who can!

Ryano's action was interfered before even these guys were coaches, by the way Stewie M is development coach, he works with the young recruits. I think Ryano's action has improved this year and indeed it may be because he has sought Stewie Dew for advice. But I stand by my statement horses for courses, a forward for forward coach please!

[Big Al]

No someone started stuffing around with O'Keefe's action (about 3 years ago) because he changed it and started kicking inaccurately. Forward Coaches should have been forwards, PERIOD! Backmen can give training on forward defensive skills but Forward Coaches today should already be aware of them. Can John Blakey tell a Sam Reid where to lead like Jason Dunstall could? Nick Davis I'm sure would be able to give advice to the small forwards but can Blakey show where they should be? He has never played that role, he has been a mid & a defender not a forward. The fact that our goal kicking is crap has to be put down to someone so who takes the side for the specialist goal kicking that Longmire talked about? Whoever they are it isn't working so get someone else to do it who can!

Ryano's action was interfered before even these guys were coaches, by the way Stewie M is development coach, he works with the young recruits. I think Ryano's action has improved this year and indeed it may be because he has sought Stewie Dew for advice. But I stand by my statement horses for courses, a forward for forward coach please!

So you saying Mick Malthouse can't possibly advise Cloke and Dawes about anything. Mick was a defender you know.

John Blakey as a defender having played on some good forwards would certainly know where a forward should lead. He's been following forwards around for a 1000 games so you you'd think he'd have some idea you'd reckon.

[wolftone57]

So your saying Wolfie that if you played in defense, that as a coach you're incapable of imparting any knowledge with regards to the forwards. I don't quite understand your logic there. Experienced coaches at AFL level have intimate knowlede of how the games played, the structures involved and the mechanics of the skills of the game. If they didn't have those things they wouldn't be coaching at this level. So therefore coaches should be able to fill any role whether it be forward, back or midfield.

Again you miss the point! This bloke is a SPECIALIST FORWARD COACH having little experience of ever playing in the forward line. I would prefer a Forward Coach who has at least 5 years experience in the modern game of playing in a forward situation. Whether he has knowledge of the structures of the game is irrelevant as Leigh Matthews said if he wanted someone to train his rucks he would get a ruck coach; an ex ruckman, for forwards he said get a forward & he mentioned Alister Lynch as someone who would fit that bill. I believe that if you want to win & have the will you need to be ruthless so get the best & put them in the posies that suit them. For instance Blakey could coach Mids or Backs. Tudor, Forwards or Mids. Every side has a specialist ruck coach. Development coaches are just that to develop the youth that is coming into your side & that we are doing very well. What I don't get is that players like Luke Parker can kick very accurately in the Ressies but miss shots from a set shot in the seniors.

[Big Al]

Again you miss the point! This bloke is a SPECIALIST FORWARD COACH having little experience of ever playing in the forward line. I would prefer a Forward Coach who has at least 5 years experience in the modern game of playing in a forward situation. Whether he has knowledge of the structures of the game is irrelevant as Leigh Matthews said if he wanted someone to train his rucks he would get a ruck coach; an ex ruckman, for forwards he said get a forward & he mentioned Alister Lynch as someone who would fit that bill. I believe that if you want to win & have the will you need to be ruthless so get the best & put them in the posies that suit them. For instance Blakey could coach Mids or Backs. Tudor, Forwards or Mids. Every side has a specialist ruck coach. Development coaches are just that to develop the youth that is coming into your side & that we are doing very well. What I don't get is that players like Luke Parker can kick very accurately in the Ressies but miss shots from a set shot in the seniors.

I get your point, I just don't agree with it. There's a difference.

[Triple B]

Something to ponder Wolfy....

1996 GF and the Swans are up and running early, Roos seems like he has his own ball in the first quarter and is running loose across the half backline and setting us alight up forward, Luffy is pulling down grabs all over the place, Plugger is on fire and all is good in the world.

Quarter time and Denis Pagan and his men realise that they need to do something. Who did Denis Pagan entrust to GO FORWARD and make Roos accountable.... John Blakey. Roos is kept pretty quiet for the rest of the game and the rest is not good reading for us.

The point is, Pagan (one of the most decorated coaches in the past 50 years) thought Blakey knew enough about the game to call upon him in the biggest game of the year. Blakey retired and his hair would have still been wet from a final game shower when Leigh Mathews (another one of the most decorated coaches in the past 50 years) gives him a call and tells him to get his ass to Brisbane pronto, he wants him as an assistant. Roosy poached him back to Sydney because he also obviously had a big opinion of his footy knowledge.

Explain to me how all these acknowledged great minds of AFL footy can think this man Blakey is an asset when in Wolfy's world, he shouldn't be allowed anywhere inside the 50m arc at any time...

[Big Al]

Something to ponder Wolfy....

1996 GF and the Swans are up and running early, Roos seems like he has his own ball in the first quarter and is running loose across the half backline and setting us alight up forward, Luffy is pulling down grabs all over the place, Plugger is on fire and all is good in the world.

Quarter time and Denis Pagan and his men realise that they need to do something. Who did Denis Pagan entrust to GO FORWARD and make Roos accountable.... John Blakey. Roos is kept pretty quiet for the rest of the game and the rest is not good reading for us.

The point is, Pagan (one of the most decorated coaches in the past 50 years) thought Blakey knew enough about the game to call upon him in the biggest game of the year. Blakey retired and his hair would have still been wet from a final game shower when Leigh Mathews (another one of the most decorated coaches in the past 50 years) gives him a call and tells him to get his ass to Brisbane pronto, he wants him as an assistant. Roosy poached him back to Sydney because he also obviously had a big opinion of his footy knowledge.

Explain to me how all these acknowledged great minds of AFL footy can think this man Blakey is an asset when in Wolfy's world, he shouldn't be allowed anywhere inside the 50m arc at any time...

Well Lethal was a Ruck Rover and a forward so needed Blakey because he clearly wouldn't know a fullback unless he elbowed one. In all seriousness does Wolfy think that the Swans would put a coach in charge of a line that didn't know what he was doing.

[mcs]

How about we give our coaches a little time to correct Sammy's technique. He needs to overcome these bad Bright habits he's collected!

Precisely. The guy was probably expected to play half a dozen games this season in the first and now he has suddenly become one of the first names on the teamsheet. He needs to work on his kicking action, that is for sure - but there is plenty of time for that. When he gets is right, we are going to have a beast of a forward on our hands. I'm torn now though in my man love for Hanners and Sammy - I'm not sure its healthy for a heterosexual male to have man crushes on two footballers. I'm going to have to choose one or the other... eeek!