Buddy's Costly Misses !

[picket fence 17,169]

Buddy's kicking biomechanically is very very iffy at best. His set shot routine and technique are very poor. On the run he gets more than most but his set shots are probably the most hit and miss in the competition.His record sans finals was 69 goals 64 points. A one goal one miss avg is not a great return.His set shots are by far the area where he scores most of his points.

Reason is that his exaggerated arc means that for him to kick a goal he must time the ball precisely at the optimum piont of contact for the ball to travel on a straight trajectory which given his arc is nearly impossible! Its a bit like imparting swing on a cricket ball. The times he nearly gets it right the ball will curve left to right and if lucky slightly straighten at the end which might MIGHT result in a goal. If he aims left then he has some chance of scoring a goal. If however he gets the timing slighly wrong the ball either swings too far left to right because of his leg rotation arc swing and veers prodigiously left to right and goes through for a point on the right hand side or he kicks straight and the ball goes true through on the left hand side and doesn't deviate! Result point on this left side side.

On the run this is less of a problem as he seems to time the ball much better probably because he is actually more balanced on the run than with set shot.

In my estimation the Coaches at Hawthorn have probably decided not to tinker with his action, however with a better procedural biomechanical approach his set shot ratio would improve if it improves then relatively easy shots which he had in the Grand Final would have been nailed!!

I reckon Hawthorn would be seriously thinking about this very thing because 69-64 is a very poor return. If they don't attempt to rectify it then this error will continue and ultimately cost games and in fact maybe Grand Finals just like we saw on Saturday.

Another big gun Roughead was very poor which meant two misfiring Hawks left Hawks wanting alternate avenues to goal which didn't eventuate!

A look at Mitch Clarks technique is almost copybook and as a result he scores consistently from set shots. Further back Peter Mc Kenna was the best kick for goal I have ever seen. Dead eye, rehearsed, simple and timed to perfection resulting more often than not in premium goalkicking!

Roughead is overrated and both he and Buddy will have the sceptre of what could have been hanging over their heads for a very long time!

[IRW 1,387]

Its interesting that two weeks back there was a piece in one of the papers about Hawthorn employing some bio mechanical kicking whiz kid with state of the art simulator facilities to tweak and perfect every players kicking technique.

It must have been Buddys day off, or maybe his routine is too unique to change.

If Roughhead would just lead up the guts and leave Buddy to prance along the boundary line they'd probably go ok.

I suppose they do go ok really.

[Gippsland Dee 367]

If he did have a reliable action i think there would be no limits to what he could achieve, but he is what he is and i can't see that changing, he is a unique player and there will be very few who will ever achieve what he has/can!

[Chook 15,013]

Hawthorn board is -> That way

But one year a team is going to spend all pre-season focusing on goal kicking and will win the premiership.

15.5 beats 10.20 any day of the week.

[My TD 156]

both he and Buddy will have the sceptre of what could have been hanging over their heads for a very long time!

As will every Hawthorn player and supporter.

Comes with the territory of lost GFs.

[Tony Tea 2,809]

One word: repeatability. Bad Boy Buddy's action lacks simplicity - too many things have to go right for him to consistently kick straight. Brad Green was prone to have bad days, too, because he relied on a curve in flight. The straighter you run in, kick through the ball and keep your head down, the more chance there is you will kick straight regularly, and the less chance there is you will confuse you muscle memory.

Mitchell Johnson has the same problem with his bowling.

[dee-eee 231]

The accurate Peter Hudson had an unorthodox action that certainly worked: hesitant approach , back hunched ,head down and kicked mongrel flat punts that just took off !

[John Crow Batty 8,863]

I wish we had Buddy playing and missing for us every time. He's won more matches off his own boot than we have in the past 5 or 6 years. And a tricky wind was no help for his kicking style. Hawthorn didn't lose because of his misses but because they were brought back to earth by teams that play a defensive close checking scrappy style and counter attack effectively. Their passing game was nullified and consequently their powerhouse offensive game spluttered. Still they did very well. They beat Adelaide and were very close in the end against the Swans. They will have to be more adaptable next season.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Hawthorn didn't lose because of his misses ...

Incorrect. Hawthorn didnt win because of his misses.

It was not the sole reason for the outcome of the game. But the failure to convert gettable shots on goal just crucifies teams in a GF. Hawthorn arent the first this has happened too. They surely wont be the last.

Its interesting that two weeks back there was a piece in one of the papers about Hawthorn employing some bio mechanical kicking whiz kid with state of the art simulator facilities to tweak and perfect every players kicking technique.

It must have been Buddys day off, or maybe his routine is too unique to change.

If Roughhead would just lead up the guts and leave Buddy to prance along the boundary line they'd probably go ok.

Buddy's problem is in the mind when under pressure. Champion player with a chink.

On 774 during the GF they were saying in other games this year that HFC have lost, Franklin had kicked 4.17! I knew he could spray them about but geezz.

[Jesse Christ 2,884]

Yeah they'll never get anywhere with that silly arc thing his does. They should de-list immediately.

[John Crow Batty 8,863]

Incorrect. Hawthorn didnt win because of his misses.

It was not the sole reason for the outcome of the game. But the failure to convert gettable shots on goal just crucifies teams in a GF.

On 774 during the GF they were saying in other games this year that HFC have lost, Franklin had kicked 4.17! I knew he could spray them about but geezz.

No such things as "incorrect". The game restarts after every goal. The nature of the game may change. Infinite variables enter into the game after every restart. One thing for sure despite his many misses he kicks goals that no one else could almost every game. The only miss that may have had a crucial bearing on the game was Gunston hitting the post late in the game that would have given them the lead if he got it. Then again anything could have happened after the restart. Inches and millimetres can be the difference between winners and losers. Just ask Stevie Milne.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

No such things as "incorrect". The game restarts after every goal. The nature of the game may change. Infinite variables enter into the game after every restart. One thing for sure despite his many misses he kicks goals that no one else could almost every game. The only miss that may have had a crucial bearing on the game was Gunston hitting the post late in the game that would have given them the lead if he got it.

When a player misses a gettable shot on goal he effectively wastes the good work of others up the ground. Such efforts unnerve the kicker for goal and deflate teammates. Given Buddy is such a trump card for Hawthorn his inability to convert shots hurt them. They dominated many key stats errors but did not put it on the scoreboard. And the fact he did kick some outstanding and difficult goals makes his errors look worse. He is due his share of culpability for the loss. I am not sure how you can hang Gunston and not Franklin. Franklin had a crucial miss in the last quarter which had he nailed it would have put the Hawks up by 18 points and with great momentum kicking 3 goals in tight succession

[Dr. Mubutu 853]

Yeah they'll never get anywhere with that silly arc thing his does. They should de-list immediately.

I'll give 'em a 3rd-round pick and Kelvin Lawrence.

[Traja Dee 108]

Jack Gunston has an interesting and unorthodox kicking style but is renowned for his accuracy (barring the poster in the last quarter of a fairly tight angle). Most players hold the ball with the axis parallel with their forearms, whereas Jack holds the ball with the axis almost upright.

My boys are 8 and 6 and just learning to kick. The problem that I have is that I have learnt to hold the ball with a perpendicular axis, like Jack Gunston, and struggle to guide the ball down, unlike Jack Gunston. If it is as still day, I reckon my accuracy is OK but I'm shite if the wind is up and the ball deviates before striking the boot. I've tried to mimic the Auskick technique with the ball parallel with the forearms but this technique seems to rely on me spinning the ball at just the right speed to be perpendicular when it strikes the boot - often my kicks end up like a helicopter with my attempts at this technique. I'm terribly worried that my boys will be more like Buddy than Mitch and that they'll end up costing Melbourne a premiership!

Could the biomechanics on this site explain the theory that Jack Gunston's style is inferior to Mitch Clark's. Thanks.

[dee-luded 2,959]

The low flying buddy, different to the old rocket fueled buddy, it seems.

He just wasn't as sharp or as spontaneous.

[Red and Bluebeard 2,084]

What has she done now? Overspent on clothes again? :-)

[low flying Robbo 979]

Mitchell Johnson has the same problem with his bowling.

I wonder if Glenn McGrath could teach him anything

[Dr. Mubutu 853]

I wonder if Glenn McGrath could teach him anything

If you want to go repeatability, I'd hit up Adam Dale instead.

[Biffen 12,943]

Good article by Sewell today explainining that it was not Buddys fault.

Failed to mention it was Sewells fault.

May the pain and lies begin.

[rjay 24,928]

What has she done now? Overspent on clothes again? :-)

Very expensive lifestyle...watch out for the reality show "Keeping up with the Franklins"