They might have been horrified with that result so gave it a rest last week. So let’s see if they do that more than once a fortnight.
Why not get 2MP to coach the others? He has a technically perfect technique and we see him time and again send the ball right through the middle from all angles and from any distance up to 50 meters and beyond. There’s no rule against a player doing some coaching. There’s no doubt about him being available to do it. Maybe he would refuse, but I don’t know why he would. Maybe the other players would have some objection, but again, I can’t see why. After all, they’ve all watched him do it often enough.
Why go searching for a goal kicking coach when we have one right on the premises?
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Sure there’s no rule but hasn’t he enough to deal with in his own game and general tactics etc?
I agree we need to do something though. But think EFC has the money to invest in a proper goalkicking Clinic rather than ask 2MP to take on something like that. Remember there’s a lot of players to target review and can be v time consuming. Sure he’s got one of the better techniques but a proper setup should schedule 121 sessions, address set shots (priority), angled and then on the run. Should be in place already out at Tulla given its importance as a skill imho. At least one if not two specialist goalkicking coaches should be scouted and employed. We’re a professional FC and we’ve the money to do this with all the vid gear etc needed. And we should. Its worth an investment.
A general improvement between say 20% - 50% for all players and we’re suddenly winning games with players confident in taking a shot. A 10.15 becomes a 15.10 scoreline.
Catches win matches. Goals win footy games.
Or something like that 
If we haven’t addressed it by now, then someone in the chain of command doesn’t think it’s a priority.
And it’s not like our kicking has been ■■■■ just this year
Ideally we’d have a specialist kicking coach, but we don’t and it will take time to find one. In the meantime we have a ready-made one who’s a player.
It’s really not rocket science. I’ve lost count of the number of videos I’ve seen teaching kids how to kick and every single one says exactly the same thing. But maybe 10% of the players on our list actually do those things.
He was a poor shot for goal when he first started until Sheedy put a rocket up him about it. Then he went out and practiced, practiced, practiced.
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True. Nothing wrong with reminding forwards its part of their job to strive to finish off set shots or just old fashioned possession, as a result of the hard yards our defenders and mids have made to get the ball to you. That’s called responsibility.
Sheedy was right to fire that rocket. And Lloyd responded in the best way possible. Truck should do the same but ensure specialist help is available back at the Hangar if they’re prepared to put the time and work into trying to iron out any wrinkles in their technique.
There’s no better feeling than slotting that ball through the big sticks in front of a crowd … your crowd your fans. Its a huge enticement to do it every time as a player, not just as a forward.
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I don’t know where you got that from. I remember him as an absolutely excellent kick right from Day 1.
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Think it was Shaw who called him out as proxy for Sheeds IIRC.
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I think there’s three thing needed for good goal kicking:
- good technique
- ability to execute when fatigued
- ability to execute under pressure
There’s something weird about football that when your confidence is up, you are able to relax and kick straight. However, many players tighten up under pressure and spray shots on goal.
Last year, pressure was off, confidence was high and we kicked accurately. This year there’s more expectation, and less confidence.
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Fair enough. Shows how fallible memory is.
It also shows, yet again, that goal kicking can be taught. And it’s good to see that Lloyd agrees that a kicking coach should be part of every coaching team.
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Last Saturday’s goal kicking was poor versus Essendon’s historical performance. It was less of a one-off and more likely a case of different players having shots at goal versus last year. Missing from last year were Tippa, Jones, Langford & Waterman who are all good shots at goals. 3 of which when fit are guaranteed starters.
No-one should play in the forward line if they can’t kick straight no matter what they bring. It demoralises the rest of the team when they miss (only need to look to the Daniher effect when he had a bad kicking day to watch players drop their heads).
As for the argument that because we train in wind it makes it harder to kick when there is none. That makes no sense to me. Surely that’s how you should train so mentally when you are kicking indoors it feels easier to you (ie. Less pressure). Recruit players that can kick, anyone who can’t is black listed.
Time for the team to stop with excuses & perform. How many kicks during the game miss by miles….not the majority so there is no excuse to miss more shots at goal than you kick during the game. Don’t accept that. Pick someone in the crowd and kick the ball to them. Have drills where the team is punished if you miss, create pressure to simulate games. It’s not hard…but somehow certain Essendon players make it look hard.
Give the good goal kickers a chance!
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Some players i noted holding the ball too high not lower down on the Sherrin label , and others do the spin and twirl of the ball on their run in, so the ball is not straight on contact with the boot. What would you know, you may ask ??? i have been a 50Yr plus member and been to nearly every game and i played in my Hay Day.
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That was a terrific interview.
It gives me the ■■■■■ when ppl criticise him for staging for frees… for years he was mauled, pushed, hung on to, his head almost pulled off, without getting a free. I used to think, the ump could stop this if they gave him a free early but they never did. No wonder he staged a bit later in his career.
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Fletch is involved with the club now… he should be employed as the kicking coach. He learnt from his father and has passed the skill on to his 2 sons… i reckon he would be great.
And others you can see them looking out the corner of their eyes to see if they can pass it to someone else. 90% of the time when they do this, you can successfully predict they will miss the goal.
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It’s as though they don’t want to have a shot unless they are in the bloody goal square. It speaks volumes.
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Following is a list of players who should be doing a lot of goal kicking practice from 40 out, because either they are bad set shots or, they are required to convert the small opportunities they get.
- McGrath
- Parish
- Smith
- Francis
- Draper (I’ve given up on him and set shots)
- Shiel (but can’t remember the last time he actually had a set shot)
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Two of those players were dropped this week. Think the club thinks they need more practice too!
Bumping this old thread on seeing this article up on the club website
LISTEN: Blethyn on becoming the second Don to reach 100 goals in a season https://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/1154552
He was a real deadeye was Blethyn.
Without looking at stats I “think” we’ve improved over the course of this season. 2MP still the benchmark but its something that all of 'em need to factor into their training. Constant practice of the routine. Keep it simple
Snello and Langford returning will def help correct the goals/misses ratio though into the back half of this year too. Both pretty good set shots.