How is it that the ball drop of Gawn and Trac have not been corrected? We've been banging on about it on here for years.

It's like they are trying trick shots at goal for s**** and giggles. Look at Trac's 25m checkside from a slight angle, or Pickett's rushed left foot around the body

Is chocco our kicking coach? Hope he's paid on a % of goals to behinds basis

Jonny Wilkinson, the English Rugby great had a very particular routine and was known to have spent endless hours on his goal kicking after practice. The result he never missed. This just killed the wallabies single handed on many occasions including a world cup final with a pressure drop kick to win. Jonny Wilkinson's overall career kicking success rate (conversions and penalties) was 86.2% and at his club level it was in the 90's. It was no accident, simply the result of technique and practice.

his technique

"Wilkinson finishes a session with a series of six kicks, but they all have to be perfect. If one of them misses, he starts again. He will not leave the pitch until he has sent six in a row whistling between the posts. That means stretching a session from two to three hours and sometimes beyond."

its all in the hands

No magic to becoming the best in the world......

1 hour ago, KozzyCan said:

I'm sure goalkicking could be improved but it's simply not what happens in the modern game. Players have more time off than ever before and we've gone the extra step to let them do their own thing at training half the time. Players simply don't spend hours on end fixing up their techniques anymore, the high performance managers probably won't even let them even if they wanted to. There is simply no world where I can see guys like Gawn, Oliver or Petracca improve their goalkicking.

If we want to get more accurate the simplest way is to generate higher percentage shots at goal.

I can remember going out to watch training at Casey (from outside the fence) a couple of times several years ago and noticed on both occasions that Ben Brown just repeatedly taking set shots at goal from about 40m out. With his long run up that meant he was starting from behind the centre line.

He must have been in rehab or something because everyone else was doing ball movement stuff. So if players do have so called voluntary training sessions, some of them should be just practicing set shots and under the supervision of someone who knows about kicking technique.

7 hours ago, The Cult of Disco Turner said:

Devil’s advocate because I broadly agree with the sentiment:

I tend to give these players a lot more leeway given that normal workers also don’t put their body through what these guys do every week.

If someone offered me 700k a year before tax for 5-10 years and then they told me there was a decent chance I’d have lasting mobility issues and potentially even lifelong brain damage, I’m not so sure I’d take that job.

Haha, [censored]! - (something like kitty kat)

Edited June 4Jun 4 by Neil Crompton

8 hours ago, jnrmac said:

TMac improved a lot as well as did Neitz from memory

TMac in his best year had a really reliable low ball drop, straight leg, very little movement in the hands - the polar opposite of Gawn

Whenever I think of a nice reliable ball drop, so many moments and photos of TMac doing this come to mind! Favourite of course being the moment he kicks the after the siren cherry on top goal during our ground final, the picture of focus while a riot breaks out behind him 😁❤️💙

3 hours ago, Robbie57 said:

[...]

"Wilkinson finishes a session with a series of six kicks, but they all have to be perfect. If one of them misses, he starts again. He will not leave the pitch until he has sent six in a row whistling between the posts. That means stretching a session from two to three hours and sometimes beyond."

its all in the hands

No magic to becoming the best in the world......

Interestingly Larkey has a similar routine (and is the most accurate goal kicker in the league, iirc). Before a game he aims to kick 28 out of 30 shots at goal or something like that (based on the article from another goalkicking thread posted this month lol)

Edit: found it! https://www.afl.com.au/news/1291484/inside-the-meticulous-routine-of-the-games-most-lethally-accurate-goalkicker-north-melbourne-star-nick-larkey

Edited June 4Jun 4 by DeelightfulPlay

A particular #4 was a very nice kick. Well he was

You can't change everything by training.

But it's a pretty safe bet we don't do anywhere near enough in this area.

In fact they should triple whatever time currently spent on it. And then some.

Maybe the club doesn't want to make it more of an issue from a mindset angle.

But it could not get much worse anyway. Max and Tracca are the main offenders. I hate to criticize them. But as the two biggest leaders in the club it's not a good example.

Surely the person responsible for it needs to be sacked ASAP. Too little, too late. Good bye and don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Goal kicking has cost us finals & continues to haunt us, stop selling home games it’s a regional ground open ground!

I wrote this in another post after Sunday's game..

After the frustration of the Demons in Alice yesterday I had to delve into the data of how bad our kicking has been since the start of the 2022 season to date.

Since this was completed between screaming kids getting to bed on a Sunday night, there might be a 2% error rate in the data but you'll get the gist of what I was trying to find out.

Since the start of the 2022 season till after todays match:

• Melbourne has played 84 matches.

• Melbourne has kicked more points than goals in 32 of those matches. (approx. 40%)

• Melbourne has won the Inside 50 count 25 times in those 32 matches.

• Melbourne has won 13 matches and lost 19.

• This year alone Melbourne has kicked more points than goals 8 out of 12 matches.

I'd be curious to see wether our numbers are compared to the rest of the league for the same period?

I'm worried that we are the clubhouse leader by some margin...might be time to head to the chalet!

8 hours ago, ElDiablo14 said:

As much as I love Max. It drives me crazy his spinning of the ball when he starts his set shot motion. I think that's something he should definitely get rid off, I am not expert but I think a lot of people would say that is detrimental to the whole process of trying to kick straight.

Me to Eladiablo14 and not just Gawny, I always watched Lloyde, Neita, Lockett, Jacko, Lyon they were totally focused they followed a process and nailed all their easy shots and a large percentage of the more difficult shots, this spinning the ball to me is a distraction from what you are trying to achieve. Does my head in.

Just on Gawn

He's actually a pretty decent field kick Long and straight. It doesn't deviate like his kicks for goal. Even his short passes are generally really good.

Isnt that interesting?

He has a very straight leg when field kicking, doesn't spin the ball around like a top. And the ball does not turn sharp left.

Surprised no one has compared these two kicking styles.

It does my head in.

12 hours ago, DeelightfulPlay said:

Interestingly Larkey has a similar routine (and is the most accurate goal kicker in the league, iirc). Before a game he aims to kick 28 out of 30 shots at goal or something like that (based on the article from another goalkicking thread posted this month lol)

Edit: found it! https://www.afl.com.au/news/1291484/inside-the-meticulous-routine-of-the-games-most-lethally-accurate-goalkicker-north-melbourne-star-nick-larkey

Great article. If you read the stuff about Wilkinson its apparent Larkey's approach is very similar. Can we force our players and coaches to read it. Interesting he talks about BBB. FInds the round end of the ball to kick.

Also how his practice develops his mental attitude:

""I get to the game about two hours before, like most players, but before every game I'll go out and take as many set-shots as I possibly can. I'll have most of my shots from within 30m. I reckon I'd slot maybe 28 out of 30 from inside 30m. In my head, then I say, 'OK, I've got it'.

1 minute ago, Robbie57 said:

Great article. If you read the stuff about Wilkinson its apparent Larkey's approach is very similar. Can we force our players and coaches to read it. Interesting he talks about BBB. FInds the round end of the ball to kick.

Also how his practice develops his mental attitude:

""I get to the game about two hours before, like most players, but before every game I'll go out and take as many set-shots as I possibly can. I'll have most of my shots from within 30m. I reckon I'd slot maybe 28 out of 30 from inside 30m. In my head, then I say, 'OK, I've got it'.

The other interesting part was he talks about how he has practised so much, that when he kicks it therefore becomes a matter of muscle memory and he is less likely to be affected by the pressure of the moment / fatigue. We need some of that!

I get to the ground early and watch as they warm up on the ground. They often have shots for goal and, good lord, there are lots and lots of misses. Just before a game starts, under no pressure, I want to see metronomic goal kicking, 9 out of 10 or better!

The pregame goal kicking never fills me with confidence.

23 hours ago, poita said:

Anyone who doesn't think that goal kicking is a skill that can be improved over time needs to look at Russell Robertson's progression across his career.

His career goal kicking accuracy was 50% early on, lifting slightly to 55% by 2004, although his kicking was pretty poor that last year.

He worked his backside off in the 2005 pre season to improve his technique, and kicked 73.30 that year (71%). He went at above 60% for the remainder of his career as well.

There is really no excuse for current players to not be able identify and fix their issues (technical, mental or otherwise) with all the resources at their disposal.

100% I remember Robbo improving dramatically as a set shot goal kicker during his career.
Early on he was sketchy, later on he was dead eye.

Love to hear what he has to say on the matter.

Surprised also that no one kicks with the flat punt. Worked well for Peter Hudson

On 03/04/2025 at 13:44, GS_1905 said:

Fritta is deceptively poor at converting - more so at critical points in a game. He has a great kicking technique which I think fools many. But he often misses a lot of set shots or just sneaks them through. He is much reliable when kicking goals in play.

I suspect he imposes a lot of pressure on himself.

He started his career a bit rough, 59% 56% & 48%, then went on a tear for 2 years, 71% & 71% over 2021 & 2022.

I thought the foot injury in 2023 hurt his kicking, but he was a bit off that year before the foot - 60% for the year, then 64% last year. This year has been his worst so far at 44%. Career average 62%.

I get the impression the practice kicks are pretty much pressure free. All I see on socials is kicking over the cardboard cutout on the mark, or inside out banana trick shots from the pocket. I’d like to see some actual noise from a person or people on the mark to simulate game conditions. But frankly I just think we have a lot of bad kicks in the team.

Games since 2022 that we've either kicked ourselves out of it and/or the oppo has had incredibly unsustainable accuracy. I suspect it doesn't compare favourably to other sides.

Round 22 2022 - V Collingwood MCG

Semi final 2022 - V Brisbane MCG

Round 11 2023 V Freo MCG

Round 16 2023 - V GWS Alice

Round 22 2023 - V Carlton MCG

Qual final 2023 - V Collingwood MCG

Semi final 2023 - V Carlton MCG

Round 9 2024 - V Carlton MCG

Round 13 2024 - V Collingwood MCG

Round 20 2024 V GWS MCG

Round 12 2025 V St Kilda MCG

I excluded the Hawthorn game the other week as they absolutely schooled us in the last quarter and they were far from accurate themselves. I think supporters overrated our performance that game.

Odd that Carlton and Collingwood feature heavily on that list.

Edited June 5Jun 5 by Bring-Back-Powell

34 minutes ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

Games since 2022 that we've either kicked ourselves out of it and/or the oppo has had incredibly unsustainable accuracy. I suspect it doesn't compare favourably to other sides.

Round 22 2022 - V Collingwood MCG

Semi final 2022 - V Brisbane MCG

Round 11 2023 V Freo MCG

Round 16 2023 - V GWS Alice

Round 22 2023 - V Carlton MCG

Qual final 2023 - V Collingwood MCG

Semi final 2023 - V Carlton MCG

Round 9 2024 - V Carlton MCG

Round 13 2024 - V Collingwood MCG

Round 20 2024 V GWS MCG

Round 12 2025 V St Kilda MCG

I excluded the Hawthorn game the other week as they absolutely schooled us in the last quarter and they were far from accurate themselves. I think supporters overrated our performance that game.

Odd that Carlton and Collingwood feature heavily on that list.

If I am coaching against melbourne I am telling my team to push Melbourne wide (not that they need any encouragement) Every other team would know we are appalling from the pockets (and more often than not from in front!)

Chronic. Dysfunctional. Systemic.

Yes all are applicable

Bad kicking will lose you games

We called it out year after year

Dees performance in front of goal this year has been HORRENDOUS

I don’t actually now trust anyone in their set shot capability, even Milkshake missed a few recently

The worst part is that the Dees actually LOSE GAMES THEMSELVES

V hawks 7.14. Should have been 4 goals up as 3/4 such was the position of the match

V Saints 7.21 from 57 inside50s. At least 6-7 easy shots from 25 metre out that would be a 80-90% probability for many teams

V Swans 6.11 (halftime) - dominated the 1st half (3.8 in 2nd quarter)

V Suns 2.9 (halftime) probably not the reason that we lost but we didn’t take our chances and when the suns had momentum they scored often on rebound

V Lions 4.8 (last quarter) -A win in the game but we absolutely dominated the last quarter yet couldn’t nail our chances and somehow didn’t fully close it out

V Freo A win. Yes a beautiful 15.5 to 3/4 time. It was one of the reasons why we won. We took our chances !!! and applied Scoreboard pressure. Actually 1.6 in the last quarter to keep Freo in the hunt

I find comments like the 'average workers don't have to work evenings or weekends' and 'it is so harsh to have to not drink while injured' really galling.

I have alot of respect for the focus and dedication to excellence which is required to be a high performance athlete, but in my time I have also known a bunch of people who have done their 'average worker' jobs, including weekends and actual night shifts, and then been high performance athletes on the side for maybe a shoe sponsorship or if they are lucky expenses paid to travel to compete.

A long distance cyclist trying to inhale enough nutrition to meet their loading targets during a 30 minute lunch break is a spectator sport in itself.

And don't get me started on the way Australian football's funding distribution creates artificial shortages (and therefore price spikes) of AFL-grade players by neglecting junior development and second-tier competition salaries for both players and coaches.

Anyway, it is a side argument to the goalkicking issue. There's a finite amount of time any athlete can commit to their craft without going insane and, for example, Max Gawn has focused on being the supreme around-the-ground ruckman and reached near-perfection on those duties. If he could also kick set shots like Matthew Lloyd he would not only step up to become the undisputed greatest AFL player ever, but he would still be playing well into his 40s by transitioning to a less physically exhausting marking forward role.

6 hours ago, jnrmac said:

Just on Gawn

He's actually a pretty decent field kick Long and straight. It doesn't deviate like his kicks for goal. Even his short passes are generally really good.

Isnt that interesting?

He has a very straight leg when field kicking, doesn't spin the ball around like a top. And the ball does not turn sharp left.

Surprised no one has compared these two kicking styles.

It does my head in.

Field kicking is not much of a comparison because you can keep the ball low when hitting a short pass and when you go longer your target can move to follow the flight of the ball.

I've heard from a number of people that it's widely acknowledged Choco has a shelf life of 2-3 years as an assistant before he gets too comfortable and his ability to inspire and develop players wanes.

Ess 4 years , GWS 2 and Richmond 3.

This will now be his 6th season with us.

He's the head of development and responsible for kicking skills

Not sure he's the right man anymore

Edited June 5Jun 5 by Stiff Arm

"Everyone's trying to crack the code in terms of goalkicking," Goodwin said ahead of the King's Birthday blockbuster against Collingwood.

"There's certainly a skill to it and there's a mindset to it.

"We believe that we've done the work to get the skill set.

"It's now making sure that mentally we believe that we're capable and we finish the plays."