Kicking shall determine Buckley's future:

[Pies4shaw]

BenK (actually taken in 2012, with Grundy and Broomhead) can kick. He kicked 3.0 yesterday. As I observed on here last season, the difference between his VFL kicking and senior kicking at Collingwood was startling. It may just be that he had to go somewhere where he felt he was wanted (or could get a decent run in the seniors, rather than being the specialist 15-minute sub, as he often was at Collingwood). In any event, Melbourne seem to like what they got. We also took Broomhead in that same 2012 draft. He's a very fine user of the ball (on the occasions when he can get his hands on it) but, like a number of our other good users, is presently missing because of injury.

I watched Sicily this afternoon. His kicking wasn't special and he missed some easy targets. What I did think about him is that he is another big, mean, pr!$k who crashes packs and does physical damage. I've always been a fan of those in finals. I actually think that's the main place where Hawthorn has it all over us - they monster teams physically (today's game against their Grand Final opponent from last year was over in 10 minutes for that very reason, even though it took a little longer to play out on the scoreboard). The stand-out ball users in their team today were (as usual) Rioli, Mitchell, Lewis and Gibson, not the new guys.

[John Wren]

watched kenno closely yesterday. he will suit that team well. had his best game yet. m

watching some of those young hawks showed me they are made to
look good by the elders. they will go well but their some of their disposal left little to be desired.

[WarrenerraW]

I think disposal in general over the last fortnight has been ordinary from all clubs - some worse than others. We are particularly bad users of the football by hand and foot. Our kicking is appalling most times and we don't seem to have any difficulty hitting an opponent lace out on the chest.

I don't understand why we are such terrible users of the ball. As seasoned professionals who get paid a crap load $$ to 'play football', we don't look like it. Our transition is never fluid or consistent and we're inclined to blow and waste opportunities when we eventually realise that the direction towards goal is indeed forward and not sideways.

I don't like our handballing obsession either and ensuring everyone gets on the stat sheet. It reeks of a team that simply doesn't know what it's doing. It must be instinctive because all players in the competition do it. It's like they're playing hot potato out there. No one genuinely wants the ball.

I would like to know what exactly happens at training. I know there's people on here who venture down to watch. Can any of you explain exactly what drills they practice because whatever it is they're doing, it's not showing on the field.

I'm starting to wonder whether or not kicking is even a requirement now to play football. We celebrate Swannie but he's a hideous kick. Sidebottom is notorious for the dinky high up and unders that rarely hit the target.

Williams is a shocking kick. His running is his strength and if it were possible to trade him to a rugby team then we should consider it.

Langdon is slow and sloppy and his passing by foot is inferior to most.

Tooves... tooves... tooves. Let's just throw it on the boot and see what happens.

Brown shouldn't be allowed to kick the ball either. All he ever does is throw it on the boot and where it lands - no body knows.

Cloke (His one and only goal was kicked with his right foot...)

Blair is not that great a kick.

Adams as much as he tries, is not a very good kick either.

With a bunch of butchers like those it's any wonder we can even win a game.

If we could start cleaning up this area of our game then I think we would be a much more competitive and successful side.

And I don't want to hear any of this it's only round 2 crap because we've been sloppy for years.

[inxs88]

[inxs88]

[i hate carlton]

this.

bring back the drop kick, more accurate than handballing

[Presti35]

RE: Kicking skills, how do you rate the last ten Brownlow winners?

Ben Cousins
Adam Goodes
Jimmy Bartel
Adam Cooney
Chris Judd
Dane Swan
Jobe Watson
Gary Ablett Jr
Matt Priddis
Nathan Fyfe

[Pebbles Rocks]

I agree on Frost but this is interesting...
http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_player_rankings?year=2015&rt=LA&st=EP

[neil]

[Cam]

Two games of 2016

22. Aish
28. Fasolo
60. Reid
100. Sinclair

however last year Aish 32. on the Lions list at 63% from 11 games so will be interesting to see if he can stay above 75% or better. 2014 he was better ranked 17. with 71% from 21 games.

Hawthorn
16. Stratton
42. Puopolo
73. Frawley
79. Gibson

3 or more of their back six are consistently excellent users. Last year
6. Frawley
10. Gibson
14. Birchall
18. McEvoy
20. Litherland [?] 6 games
71. Stratton
94. Lake

Obviously Reid is the key [we all knew that] not only is he elite with the ball he most likely raises the efficiency of those around him by giving them cleaner possessions and more time to dispose of the ball themselves. We will only be a premiership threat if the Ox and Ram come on to combine with Brown, Frost and Reid. Marley needs only to lift a few percent and I think that will happen if Reid gets a full season in.

Ironically our #1 in 2014 was... L. Keefe... who was also #2 in 2013 behind N Brown.

But these stats don't mean that much isolated from the rest of the players weapons or lack of.

[inxs88]

That Frost stats proves that the smaller the sample size of total possessions per match (avg 7) the easier it is to get to 87%.

[John Wren]

[inxs88]

[Cam]

[inxs88]