Maybe it's because I've never played football at any sort of semi-decent level, but how the hell is going for a banana kick, a very low percentage kick, going to help improve someone's goal kicking confidence?

If his confidence was low, he should have taken his time, gone through his routine (didn't we have a whole goal-kicking training session this week??! ) and tried to kick through the ball.

While it may not be the most logical thing to do I can see a plausable explanation for it - as pardontheinterruption mentions, a complete loss of confidence in his kicking. Like pardontheinterruption, I see a guy who lacks confidence and thus I wouldn't drop him this week.

Oh man. I can't believe there are still apologists. TWO of those in one game, coupled with the week before? No.... No no no. Not good enough.

Why? Because the kid IS a good kick. If you're a passable kick at goal, say 65%ish or thereabouts, then you should be taking it seriously enough to set yourself and NOT let the blood rush to your head. It's a good example, maybe the BEST example of what's wrong with his head. He's like Milne, but taller.

Does anyone seriously think he'll ever be fixed of this malady?

all too harsh on him. Fact is he should've kicked those goals. He didn't, but at least he was having shots on goal... He slots those, 2 goals from a forward in a low scoring game, with shocking conditions for forwards, and he's done well...

I thought his work ethic was reasonable, he kept chasing all day, laid 4 tackles...

Get him to work on his kicking, but surely this is something we can back our coaches to help him fix?

he was pathetic and as the above mentions stills reeks of arrogance and bad attitude, drop him!

Maybe it's because I've never played football at any sort of semi-decent level, but how the hell is going for a banana kick, a very low percentage kick, going to help improve someone's goal kicking confidence?

If his confidence was low, he should have taken his time, gone through his routine (didn't we have a whole goal-kicking training session this week??! ) and tried to kick through the ball. Most forwards, when they have a stinking day in front of goal, don't attempt low percentage kicks.

Given that the banana thing failed last week, you'd think he would have learnt. Of course football intelligence doesn't seem to be his strong point... then again, neither is kicking, attacking a contest or reading the play

nah i don't think its got anything to do with you not playing football, but i really think the reason he didnt try kicking straight was because his confidence in his kicking was so low he genuinely felt he had no chance kiking it with a drop punt.

the absolute last thing i would want him to do is go back and take his time etc. all that means is he keeps thinking about how important it is and how bad he has been kicking. mist midfielders can't kick for goal from a set shot, but can on the run. In a set shot you are thinking about what is going to much, every movement in your body is magnified by the concentration and the slow action you are moving in. I am not saying it was a good decision, but I can understand where he was coming from.

Have you ever played pool? do you find it a lot easier to get balls in when they are on a slight angle or when they are dead straight? Doesn't make much sense but lots of people struggle with those straight ones. But then, they are elite athletes either.

I just want everyone to remember that if he had of kicked straighter today (2 goals), and straighter last week (say 4.2) everyone would be sining his praises. If his output is 1-2 goals and a GA or two each game I think everyone around the club would be stoked because he would be a key member of the team. Given that, for all his failures and flaws, he is only some goal kicking confidence away from performing well above everyone around heres expectations I think he is worth persisting with.

I just want everyone to remember that if he had of kicked straighter today (2 goals), and straighter last week (say 4.2) everyone would be sining his praises.

I dont know why posters keep falling back on this absurdity as some sort of mitigation for Newton's performance.

The fact (read fact) is Newton didn't. Its a fatal flaw for FF.

Its like saying if Bryce McGain had only been bowled better he would have taken wickets.

If a FF does not have confidence to kick a drop punt, its like a golfer who cant use a golf club.

As a MFC supporter group, too many celebrate the bog ordinary performances and justify them with "If only he had....".

I dont know why posters keep falling back on this absurdity as some sort of mitigation for Newton's performance.

The fact (read fact) is Newton didn't. Its a fatal flaw for FF.

Its like saying if Bryce McGain had only been bowled better he would have taken wickets.

If a FF does not have confidence to kick a drop punt, its like a golfer who cant use a golf club.

As a MFC supporter group, too many celebrate the bog ordinary performances and justify them with "If only he had....".

Agreed.

At the end of the day Newton is just not a good footballer, and this is magnified by not only his skills but also his application on the field.

He won't make it, and at the moment is keeping the spot warm for any of Robbo/Watts/Jurrah/Butcher/Pick 98 in the PSD.

Hopefully one of the above 5 will replace him starting next week, but I don't think I could physically stomach watching him at senior level again. Woeful!

Agreed.

At the end of the day Newton is just not a good footballer, and this is magnified by not only his skills but also his application on the field.

He won't make it, and at the moment is keeping the spot warm for any of Robbo/Watts/Jurrah/Butcher/Pick 98 in the PSD.

Hopefully one of the above 5 will replace him starting next week, but I don't think I could physically stomach watching him at senior level again. Woeful!

Pretty much sums it up. He has some skills..and moments..but isnt anything remotely like what you would call a package.

He wont be alone at years end looking for work

Agreed.

At the end of the day Newton is just not a good footballer, and this is magnified by not only his skills but also his application on the field.

He won't make it, and at the moment is keeping the spot warm for any of Robbo/Watts/Jurrah/Butcher/Pick 98 in the PSD.

Hopefully one of the above 5 will replace him starting next week, but I don't think I could physically stomach watching him at senior level again. Woeful!

One caveat to that is that Newton playing a whole lot of footy for this year really only plays into our hands. That was a game we could have, and at times, should have won. Certainly one we deserved to win given how 2/3rds of our team went about it.

Could it turn out to be our WB circa '07? Round 20ish wasn't it? If Juice stays in the team I STILL hope he gets his kicking straight, if only so perhaps SOMEONE can be fooled into picking him up when we offload him. But as RR would put it, hoping for Newton to have some sort of currency by years' end is perhaps a bit naive.

One caveat to that is that Newton playing a whole lot of footy for this year really only plays into our hands. That was a game we could have, and at times, should have won. Certainly one we deserved to win given how 2/3rds of our team went about it.

Could it turn out to be our WB circa '07? Round 20ish wasn't it? If Juice stays in the team I STILL hope he gets his kicking straight, if only so perhaps SOMEONE can be fooled into picking him up when we offload him. But as RR would put it, hoping for Newton to have some sort of currency by years' end is perhaps a bit naive.

The damning thing about Juice is that as a forward he cant kick a staight ball from a standing start to save himself most of the time. Not a good thing really for a forward I would suggest

I don't hold out great hope that Newton is going to make it in the AFL.

However the reason he missed his shots at goals was because he is massively low on confidence when kicking for goal. The banana was not because he is lazy and arrogant. He had virtually the same shot at goal before this kick and dropped punted it straight through the points. It's all in Newton's head and it's up to him to fix it. He's just got to back himself.

this is just the prolem..we persist with players that only work on confidence. A well drilled ale and capale player OUGHT to be ale to carry out his JOB DESCRIPTION whether ot not he is having a good or bad day. He/they are there to do a function. Winning teams have players who can still muddle their way through and deliver even on days when things are a bit low.We need to learn this and get these players

I dont know why posters keep falling back on this absurdity as some sort of mitigation for Newton's performance.

The fact (read fact) is Newton didn't. Its a fatal flaw for FF.

Its like saying if Bryce McGain had only been bowled better he would have taken wickets.

If a FF does not have confidence to kick a drop punt, its like a golfer who cant use a golf club.

As a MFC supporter group, too many celebrate the bog ordinary performances and justify them with "If only he had....".

Completely agree. Wrote something to the same effect in the changes thread. He didn't kick the goals because he's not good enough. We are wasting our time persisting with him.

A player misses shots on goal he supposedly should kick.

Let's say, for arguments sake, the player concerned kicks a goal from his first set shot. The ball goes back to the middle, a ball up follows...........different play ensues.

This argument that, if only we kicked those 2, 3, 4 we should have got, we could have won, does not hold water. Kick one of them, and its a different play as a result.

nah i don't think its got anything to do with you not playing football, but i really think the reason he didnt try kicking straight was because his confidence in his kicking was so low he genuinely felt he had no chance kicking it with a drop punt.

Which is a major worry as a FF prospect.

the absolute last thing i would want him to do is go back and take his time etc. all that means is he keeps thinking about how important it is and how bad he has been kicking.

I wouldn't. I would rather him take his time, take everything into consideration, like good full forwards do, weigh everything up. Rather than rush or make silly decisions at important moments. He's no Buddy Franklin (re: Banana shot).

Have you ever played pool? do you find it a lot easier to get balls in when they are on a slight angle or when they are dead straight? Doesn't make much sense but lots of people struggle with those straight ones.

I have played pool. I understand where you are coming from with regard to the straight ones, I always like the ones on the angle myself. But hey, that's pool. If your on almost a 35-40 C angle, 20m out. Drop punt is a no-brainer.

18 games for 25 goals. This season he's kicked 2.7. He is 21 years old. Still young. But he desperately needs to work on his game now deanox, big time.

Thank god for that.

Missing not 1 but 2 shots at goal from 5 - 10 meters out (when you contribute hardly anything else) relegates a player to having no purpose what so ever - he kills us more often than not. Miller and Bate provided contests at least and I'm pretty sure that neither of them would have missed from where Newton was shooting from.

bate played one of the worst games i have ever seen him play. even worse when you consider his direct opponent for a lot of the match was goodwin.

juice kicked 3 behinds to millers 2. they had the same number of possessions. he had 4 tackles to millers 1. 3 contested possessions gets to millers 1. miller is listed as 3 clangers to juices none (although personally id count two of the behinds as clangers). 1%s newton got 2, miller got 1.

i'm not sure how you can talk up millers game at the expense of newton.

Which is a major worry as a FF prospect.

I wouldn't. I would rather him take his time, take everything into consideration, like good full forwards do, weigh everything up. Rather than rush or make silly decisions at important moments. He's no Buddy Franklin (re: Banana shot).

I have played pool. I understand where you are coming from with regard to the straight ones, I always like the ones on the angle myself. But hey, that's pool. If your on almost a 35-40 C angle, 20m out. Drop punt is a no-brainer.

18 games for 25 goals. This season he's kicked 2.7. He is 21 years old. Still young. But he desperately needs to work on his game now deanox, big time.

ok so he has kicked 2.7 in two games. thats 9 shots at goal. thats 9.5% of all our shots at goal in 5 matches, and 22% of all shots at goal in the games he has played.

in 5 games:

bate has kicked 5.3 (8 shots)

davey has kicked 2.0 (2 shots)

PJ has kicked 2.1 (3 shots)

miller has kicked 6.9 (15 shots)

petterd has kicked 5.3 (8 shots)

in 4 games

green has kicked 9.1 (10 shots)

in 3 games:

dunn 4.0 (4 shots)

He has been inaccurate, but at least he is getting shots.

I understand what you are saying about the taking time. And if he had the belief that he could kick the goal that is exactly what I would expect him to do. But I think that he could have taken 5 minutes and he would have stuffed the shot because of where his head is.

Give the kid a chance to get his confidence up and he just may come good. Not as your number 1 or 2 forward but as your third option, as your depth tall, or as trade bait he could have potential.

Good work deanox. So if Newton had played the five he'd have 5.18 on the board with his current conversion. More likely, even with the ineptitude he's displayed this season, he'd have 10 or more to his credit, be leading our goalkicking and might not be getting the kicking from the masses that he has.

Comrades.

OK, his kicking was wayward at times, but today I could understand why he was retained on the list.

Your thoughts?

Straightens us up, can take a mark and gives it a crack but his kicking is to bad. I'd expect him to stay on the list for a few years but ultimatly wouldn't make it to 100 games.

Straightens us up, can take a mark and gives it a crack but his kicking is to bad. I'd expect him to stay on the list for a few years but ultimatly wouldn't make it to 100 games.

Thousands would be dispaointed if he was kept on the list OR got a game next week. He was pathetic. My 10 year old son can kick better. Get rid of him, the attitude is appalling, get someone who's heart is in it. Not this poor excuse for a football player

The fact (read fact) is Newton didn't. Its a fatal flaw for FF.

Its like saying if Bryce McGain had only been bowled better he would have taken wickets.

That analogy doesn't work IMO. There are two aspects to kicking goals - one is creating the opportunities during the game, the second is to execute the kick. I wouldn't liken convincing Ricky to throw me the ball with creating opportunities to score.

Newton got the shots at goal, which is (more than) half the battle.

It's more like saying that if Bryce McGain had only held onto his catches he would have taken wickets.

Good work deanox. So if Newton had played the five he'd have 5.18 on the board with his current conversion. More likely, even with the ineptitude he's displayed this season, he'd have 10 or more to his credit, be leading our goalkicking and might not be getting the kicking from the masses that he has.

But, as has been said before, he hasn't kicked 10 goals. He hasn't even kicked 5 goals. He's kicked 2 goals in 2 matches. That just isn't enough from a key forward.

Newton got the shots at goal, which is (more than) half the battle.

I wouldn't think that getting 9 shots at goal in 2 matches, whilst converting only 2 of them and doing nothing else at all, is enough to be considered a capable AFL forward.

But, as has been said before, he hasn't kicked 10 goals. He hasn't even kicked 5 goals. He's kicked 2 goals in 2 matches. That just isn't enough from a key forward.

I wouldn't think that getting 9 shots at goal in 2 matches, whilst converting only 2 of them and doing nothing else at all, is enough to be considered a capable AFL forward.

Miller's kicked 3 from 8 attempts, is he to be considered a capable AFL forward? Bear in mind he's had nearly 100 extra AFL games to practice his "craft".

I wouldn't think that getting 9 shots at goal in 2 matches, whilst converting only 2 of them and doing nothing else at all, is enough to be considered a capable AFL forward.

For some posters it is enough to be considered a capable forward that is doing his job just fine.

As poor as his kicking is, the real problem with Newton is his total lack of physical presence. For a tall forward he is just simply pushed off the ball, and out of the contest far too easily. The guy can't or simply won't crash a pack like the type of tall forward we need.

I wouldn't think that getting 9 shots at goal in 2 matches, whilst converting only 2 of them and doing nothing else at all, is enough to be considered a capable AFL forward.

It's not even enough to be considered capable... or a forward... or an AFL player come to think of it.

Putting aside his terrible performance in front of goal, he does absolutely nothing else too.

Lets stop concentrating on how bad he is when the ball is in his hands, and talk about how terrible he is when the ball is not in his hands.

Mind you, Bate isn't far off the mark either, but at least Bate can run all day.

Didn't Newton confess to running out of gas in the last quarter last week?? He ran about 2meters FFS!

1st X Games :Gls -GPM

=============|===|=====

Schwarz--- 28:27 - 0.96

Franklin-- 20:21 - 1.05

JBrown---- 38:43 - 1.13

Neitz----- 17:20 - 1.18

ALynch---- 36:50 - 1.39

Newton---- 18:25 - 1.39

Green------20:28 - 1.40

Carey----- 25:38 - 1.52

Lloyd----- 16:25 - 1.56

Fevola---- 16:26 - 1.63

Capper---- 16:39 - 2.44

Richardson 33:87 - 2.64