Kozzie stage-fright?

[Skuit 10,027]

I love Kysaiah to absolute bits. This is not a knock. He’s probably already one of my all-time favourite Demons alongside Clarry, Jurrah and Jakovich. But the question is, is there an issue here that can we address it if so, through mental prep, game planning or something else?

I understand goals aren’t the only metric, and know forward-pocket is one of the hardest positions to play (I defended Garlett to the end). Some of the statistics are actually quite damning though. An admittedly small sample size (and my stats may be dodgy here and there), but: 

Pickett has kicked three goals or more 16 times in his 81-game AFL career. Only four of those bags occurred at the MCG, two of them back-to-back in a hot streak in 2022. Pickett has kicked four or more goals four times in his career: three of those occasions being in Alice, the ACT and Tasmania.

Pickett’s average, including his first season, is somewhere around the 1.5 goals per/game mark. Meanwhile, against the three biggest clubs in the country who we have key match-ups with – Collingwood, Richmond and Essendon – Pickett has kicked a grand total of nine goals from 13 games.

I don't think he has ever kicked more than two when the crowd reached the 70,000-mark First question is, is there an issue, or just a statistical anomaly based on a small sample? Second question: if there is an issue, what can we do to fix it? And third: is there something about the MCG which delimits Kozzie’s input perhaps? 

[picket fence 16,982]

Just a giant NOPE!

[Skuit 10,027]

11 minutes ago, picket fence said:

Just a giant NOPE!

Are you saying it's a fear of snakes? 

[Engorged Onion 10,199]

12 minutes ago, Skuit said:

Are you saying it's a fear of snakes? 

Oh! A 'nope rope'...

Interesting data @Skuit, I'm still waiting for him to take a hanger...

Anyway, he almost kicked the first of the game, so I don't think it has to do with the context of the location or the crowd...

We do like to look for patterns to make sense of things, I just feel it's a bit of a long bow to draw, considering you have detailed he plays the hardest position on the ground (Hawks were flooding back, so space was limited)... etc etc.

[dazzledavey36 54,087]

1 hour ago, Skuit said:

I love Kysaiah to absolute bits. This is not a knock. He’s probably already one of my all-time favourite Demons alongside Clarry, Jurrah and Jakovich. But the question is, is there an issue here that can we address it if so, through mental prep, game planning or something else?

I understand goals aren’t the only metric, and know forward-pocket is one of the hardest positions to play (I defended Garlett to the end). Some of the statistics are actually quite damning though. An admittedly small sample size (and my stats may be dodgy here and there), but: 

Pickett has kicked three goals or more 16 times in his 81-game AFL career. Only four of those bags occurred at the MCG, two of them back-to-back in a hot streak in 2022. Pickett has kicked four or more goals four times in his career: three of those occasions being in Alice, the ACT and Tasmania.

Pickett’s average, including his first season, is somewhere around the 1.5 goals per/game mark. Meanwhile, against the three biggest clubs in the country who we have key match-ups with – Collingwood, Richmond and Essendon – Pickett has kicked a grand total of nine goals from 13 games.

I don't think he has ever kicked more than two when the crowd reached the 70,000-mark First question is, is there an issue, or just a statistical anomaly based on a small sample? Second question: if there is an issue, what can we do to fix it? And third: is there something about the MCG which delimits Kozzie’s input perhaps? 

I think what you're trying to say is that does he stand up in big games?

I love Pickett and the excitement he brings to supporters especially younger generation coming through. He's Jeff Farmer to me when I was s young tacker starting out as a Melbourne supporter.

But yes, I have noticed it's a growing pattern for me that in the big games where it's the heat of the moment he tends to go missing.

In fairness to Pickett though I still think sometimes he's not coached to his strengths. I'm sometimes tearing my hair out when we're either under the pump or getting beaten around stoppage, for Goodwin to at least throw Pickett in the midfield to provide a spark.

Not only that, it gets him into the game a bit more. His ball use and ability to slip in and out of congestion with speed and use his vision to hit up a teammate is very impressive. 

Lately he's attending first centre bounce and then we hardly see him in there again. Would like a journo to bring this up in the next presser around using Pickett more in the midfield.

[layzie 33,724]

It would very very nice to see him at more centre bounces 

[Roost it far 8,104]

I’m hoping that this finals series sees him in the centre more.

[In Harmes Way 7,730]

5 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:Lately he's attending first centre bounce and then we hardly see him in there again. Would like a journo to bring this up in the next presser around using Pickett more in the midfield.

It’s my hope/belief daz that Goody is trying to keep a few aces up his sleeve for finals and we’ll see a bit more of him in the guts when it matters.

That said, he threw Petty forward against Brisbane in the finals last year when it was already too late, so what would I know.

[Demons11 6,893]

24 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

I think what you're trying to say is that does he stand up in big games?

I love Pickett and the excitement he brings to supporters especially younger generation coming through. He's Jeff Farmer to me when I was s young tacker starting out as a Melbourne supporter.

But yes, I have noticed it's a growing pattern for me that in the big games where it's the heat of the moment he tends to go missing.

In fairness to Pickett though I still think sometimes he's not coached to his strengths. I'm sometimes tearing my hair out when we're either under the pump or getting beaten around stoppage, for Goodwin to at least throw Pickett in the midfield to provide a spark.

Not only that, it gets him into the game a bit more. His ball use and ability to slip in and out of congestion with speed and use his vision to hit up a teammate is very impressive. 

Lately he's attending first centre bounce and then we hardly see him in there again. Would like a journo to bring this up in the next presser around using Pickett more in the midfield.

Yesterday was against the 16th placed side, so it was not a big game.  If we go back to part years final against Brisbane, Pickett was the only reason we were still in that game.  The role/position Pickett plays lends itself to inconsistency.   Pickett is a star!

[dee-tox 4,835]

Interesting thread.

Just an observation when Kozzie is given close attention either by a strong direct opponent or by zone defence with midfielders flooding back he struggles to get the space he needs.

His best final was against Geelong in 2021 Prelim when we he kicked three and we thrashed em. His other finals have been relatively quiet.

I think we could use him better. Often he creates space and we don't use him. He's a nightmare matchup one-on-one for a defender. As mentioned we could throw him into the centre bounces more often to release the shackles a bit.

At 22 years old you'd reckon he'd be close to the peak of his powers. Let's hope he turns it on this September.

 

[Antioch 232]

He looked a bit out of sorts yesterday. Maybe a virus??

[Fanatique Demon 2,641]

44 minutes ago, Engorged Onion said:

I'm still waiting for him to take a hanger...

I’d prefer him to stop trying for that and take the crumbs.

[dazzledavey36 54,087]

14 minutes ago, Demons11 said:

Yesterday was against the 16th placed side, so it was not a big game.  If we go back to part years final against Brisbane, Pickett was the only reason we were still in that game.  The role/position Pickett plays lends itself to inconsistency.   Pickett is a star!

If you go to the finals week before against Sydney, he was actually non existent. 

He's still young, but when maybe I've got too much expectations thinking back to someone like Cyril Rioli who I compare him too, and he just use to stand up in big games especially come September.  

When we're all looking for that someone to just to take the game of the scruff it shouldn't be left up to the usuals of Gawn Oliver and Petracca, but someone like Pickett to really stamp his mark in big games.

I'm seeing it with Trent Rivers now.

[Demons11 6,893]

8 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

If you go to the finals week before against Sydney, he was actually non existent. 

He's still young, but when maybe I've got too much expectations thinking back to someone like Cyril Rioli who I compare him too, and he just use to stand up in big games especially come September.  

When we're all looking for that someone to just to take the game of the scruff it shouldn't be left up to the usuals of Gawn Oliver and Petracca, but someone like Pickett to really stamp his mark in big games.

I'm seeing it with Trent Rivers now.

👍Riv is a gun! 

[Rhino 56]

1 hour ago, picket fence said:

Just a giant NOPE!

Disagree

[Skuit 10,027]

1 hour ago, Engorged Onion said:

Oh! A 'nope rope'...

Interesting data @Skuit, I'm still waiting for him to take a hanger...

Anyway, he almost kicked the first of the game, so I don't think it has to do with the context of the location or the crowd...

We do like to look for patterns to make sense of things, I just feel it's a bit of a long bow to draw, considering you have detailed he plays the hardest position on the ground (Hawks were flooding back, so space was limited)... etc etc.

You're one of the few on here with expert insight. Will value your opinion. 

[Roger Mellie 3,946]

4 minutes ago, Demons11 said:

👍Riv is a gun! 

He's taken a massive leap forward this season. I can't wait to see what happens after the preseason - more midfield time or will he continue to steam out of the back line?

[Demon Disciple 11,998]

28 minutes ago, Fanatique Demon said:

I’d prefer him to stop trying for that and take the crumbs.

100%.

He’s struggling with his form and needs to get back to the basics of being a small forward. 
 

Forward pressure, crumbing the packs when it comes in and always on the move. Do this and form will come soon.

[Dante 2,735]

Kozzie was down on his haunches in the middle of the ground after the game, he seemed to be unable to get moving during it. I remarked to a few of the guys I was sitting with he looked out of sorts and when he didn't make the distance, kicking for goal from 40 metres out, he looked like he had no energy. 

We had two players not make the distance from around the 40 metre mark, so maybe there is a virus going through the club. I've never seen Kozzie unable to chase like yesterday's game.

[Dee Viney Intervention 1,913]

We aren’t talking about a post game drug test here are we?

Kossie will be fine. Would like to see him get to basics in his role as a small forward and not go for mark of the year every second week. I also think 5 minutes in the midfield here and there to get him in the game and gives us a different look is also a win -win. 

[layzie 33,724]

Yeah maybe he's sick. I am right now, not beyond possibility. 

[poita 3,889]

He needs to spend less time and energy flying for ridiculous marks, and more time & energy front & centre of marking contests. Otherwise he is going okay.

[jumbo returns 6,737]

Hope he takes a hanger, wins the carton of Rothmans and the Ford Escort and gets it out of his system

He's still very dangerous, just a bit low on confidence atm

[At Least I Saw a Flag 5,204]

Nothing worse than stage fright ... from someone who's been there.

[John Crow Batty 8,860]

Seems to make the same exciting moves every game but often it’s like his internal GPS is out of whack and he has trouble tracking the ball where it’s going even by a few inches.

Edited August 20, 2023 by John Crow Batty