Foot skills down back.

[LENNY LEADS THE WAY]

Time for the defenders to get the sherrins out at training this week and practice their kicking under pressure and not under pressure.

The current style of play with kicking sideways and backwards and sideways again needs players to be executing perfect kicks.

Numerous times passes would end up at a players boot laces and create pressure where a simple accurate kick to a team mates chest would've temporarily released pressure.

Time to recruit some players with exceptional foot skills that's our biggest downfall at the moment.

We will improve and the kids will get better just wound like to see us get back to basics.

[Junction Oval]

I and others have been saying this "for many years." it's in the hands of the Recruiters, who I continually say, up until the last couple of years, have fallen short. A few improvements recently- Savage, Siposs, Newnes.

[Bluthy]

I and others have been saying this "for many years." it's in the hands of the Recruiters, who I continually say, up until the last couple of years, have fallen short. A few improvements recently- Savage, Siposs, Newnes.

Lyon didn't value foot skills that high. He preferred tough players who would be cogs in his grinding machine. Its not a coincidence everyone says about his teams "if only they had kicked straight". Acres, Billings, Dunstan look like they all have good disposal and decision making - that's the road we are going down now and its about time.

[Cairnsman]

Why did the foot skills on display in the Freo game look like so much better...confidence.?...or just one of those days.

[bergholt]

Why did the foot skills on display in the Freo game look like so much better...confidence.?...or just one of those days.

That's a fascinating question. You're right that it looked like we couldn't miss in that game.

I reckon it's not about skills but about targets. If the guy you're kicking it to has worked hard and got twenty metres clear of the opposition then your kick is easy. If it goes a bit left or a bit right or a bit long or a bit short - he still gets it. That's what was happening in the Freo game.

On the other hand, if you're trying to thread a pass to a flat-footed guy surrounded by opponents, the kick has to be perfect. A tiny mistake in execution leads to a 50-50 or direct turnover. That's what we've seen in most of our games.

It's not about skills, it's about workrate. If our guys work hard to get to good position then our kicking will look good.

[spert]

Too much indecision coming out of the backline, and as a result, kicks go bad. There is still a lot of work to do in our defensive setups and plays. Our half backs and mids don't run and spread hard enough to make options( it's not a leg speed issue) and obviously the ball carrier just sees congestion and we end up with 50/50 contests, many resulting in turnovers. At some stage I would hope AR gets this sorted.

[plugger66]

Too much indecision coming out of the backline, and as a result, kicks go bad. There is still a lot of work to do in our defensive setups and plays. Our half backs and mids don't run and spread hard enough to make options( it's not a leg speed issue) and obviously the ball carrier just sees congestion and we end up with 50/50 contests, many resulting in turnovers. At some stage I would hope AR gets this sorted.

Yep you would pick all that before him. What did you think of SW as a coach? Who has been a good coach of the Saints in the last 40 years?

[Dave McNamara]

Why did the foot skills on display in the Freo game look like so much better...confidence.?...or just one of those days.

That's a fascinating question. You're right that it looked like we couldn't miss in that game.

I reckon it's not about skills but about targets. If the guy you're kicking it to has worked hard and got twenty metres clear of the opposition then your kick is easy. If it goes a bit left or a bit right or a bit long or a bit short - he still gets it. That's what was happening in the Freo game.

On the other hand, if you're trying to thread a pass to a flat-footed guy surrounded by opponents, the kick has to be perfect. A tiny mistake in execution leads to a 50-50 or direct turnover. That's what we've seen in most of our games.

It's not about skills, it's about workrate. If our guys work hard to get to good position then our kicking will look good.

Now there's a poster who knows his footy! Great call I reckon.


(Though in Roo's case, it seems he probably needs to get 40 metres in the clear just to make sure. )