A summer of goalkicking practice

[top40]

I know it is well documented that the Swans had a poor goalkicking record in season 2011. To put in the cold light of day, their goal : overall scoring shots ratio was 48.26%. That is the first time since 1992 that the ratio went below 50%. It was also their worse record since 1990, when it was 47.51%. In my opinion, the Sydney would have gained at least 10 additional competition points (against Melbourne (2 points); Adelaide (4); and Essendon (4), if their goal kicking had been just marginally better in '11.

In a 2008 interview, the great English Rugby Union player Jonny Wilkinson was quoting from The Times London newspaper as taking a thousand practice kicks before a match. Each week leading up to the game I'd hit about 250 to 300 practice place kicks alone. He is quoted as stating that such excessive practice meant "near enough 50 rehearsals for each single defining event".

I know that summer training is very important for the pursuit of extreme fitness, and that cannot be lost. However, surely the football department should consider more attention in the months ahead to the important part that goal kicking plays in a successful club.

[neilfws]

Could not agree more. I've been playing around with the stats from AFL Tables and produced this boxplot of conversion (goals / goals + behinds) for 1982 - 2011. Of course, the data don't account for rushed behinds.



Median conversion in 2011 was 48.33. That means in 50% of games, scoring was at that conversion or less. As top40 said, this is the worst since the 1990s. You can also see a worrying downward trend starting from 2008.

I'm available to generate plenty more nerdy stats if anyone is interested

[ShockOfHair]

Our field disposal is a bigger problem. Our efficiency is equal worst in the league.

[jono2707]

Our field disposal is a bigger problem. Our efficiency is equal worst in the league.

Um I think they might be related? i.e. if you can't kick it straight to a teammate, you probably will have trouble kicking it straight between the big sticks.

Happy kicking over summer boys!

[Lucky Knickers]

How does that compare with the competition?

[ugg]

I'll have access to the stats later tonight but from memory we were 2nd last in goalkicking accuracy (GC was last) and last in kicking efficiency. The kicking efficiency is a little misleading as we have the greatest contested possession rate in the competition, by some margin. More kicks and handballs under pressure result in a lower percentage of them hitting a target.

[Dosser]

I'll have access to the stats later tonight but from memory we were 2nd last in goalkicking accuracy (GC was last) and last in kicking efficiency. The kicking efficiency is a little misleading as we have the greatest contested possession rate in the competition, by some margin. More kicks and handballs under pressure result in a lower percentage of them hitting a target.

We're looking at you, ROK!

[Hartijon]

What about banning the boomerang kick off the outside of the right boot used by Goodes,Mc Veigh and Jetta instead of using their left foot. All three should have been benched after such a high risk kick! The fact that two of these guys are Captains means choosing a high risk option is acceptable! Kirk was a great role model for a guy who was not a gifted kick.He always chose the solid sensible option.

[ugg]

Regular season only, does not include OOBOTF and kicks falling short but includes rushed behinds.
Disposal Efficiency

[Melbournehammer]

What about banning the boomerang kick off the outside of the right boot used by Goodes,Mc Veigh and Jetta instead of using their left foot. All three should have been benched after such a high risk kick! The fact that two of these guys are Captains means choosing a high risk option is acceptable! Kirk was a great role model for a guy who was not a gifted kick.He always chose the solid sensible option.

Except that two of our best goals (goodes v saints, mcv against freo) were the boomerangs.

[swantastic]

Regular season only, does not include OOBOTF and kicks falling short but includes rushed behinds.
Disposal Efficiency

gee we r crap just imagine if we were in the middle it mite of got us at least 3/4 more wins

[Hartijon]

Except that two of our best goals (goodes v saints, mcv against freo) were the boomerangs.

Well aware of its occasional spectacular success sending commentators into ecstasy.Thats why players use it! It looks and feels great when it succeeds.But I would argue,it is also responsible for some horrible misses ,can't remember the details,when a simple left foot would have nailed the goal.
The technique of using the right foot boomerang also leads to many shots hitting the post when a simple step to the side and a straight left foot would give an extra metre or so of clearance through the big sticks. My point is not that it doesn't work sometimes.It does! It is simply low % high risk.

[wolftone57]

Well aware of its occasional spectacular success sending commentators into ecstasy.Thats why players use it! It looks and feels great when it succeeds.But I would argue,it is also responsible for some horrible misses ,can't remember the details,when a simple left foot would have nailed the goal.
The technique of using the right foot boomerang also leads to many shots hitting the post when a simple step to the side and a straight left foot would give an extra metre or so of clearance through the big sticks. My point is not that it doesn't work sometimes.It does! It is simply low % high risk.

I agree & if a player can't kick both feet at this level he should be taken out & shot at dawn, yet I have noticed a trend to this outside of the boot kick. This is evidence that a lot of players either can't kick on thier non-preferred foot (some are southpaws Hartijon) or are not confident on that foot & that is a coaching error.

[top40]

The very helpful stats presented by Ugg leave me to the conclusion that if both Sydney's goal kicking record and general kicking efficacy had been near the top, rather than near the bottom they would have come 4th rather than 7th. From a pure goal kicking improvement, they would have gained an extra 14 competition points against Melbourne (2 points), Collingwood (4), Adelaide (4), and Essendon(4). But with deficits against Carlton calculated to be just 4 pts, and against Freo just 1 pt, an improved general kicking they would have certainly won another two games, giving them 72 competition points, equal with 3rd placed Hawthorn.

[Lucky Knickers]

Thanks Ugg. It makes interesting reading. The disposal efficiency is quite remarkable really given where we finished and our form coming into the finals.