[Bullseye]

Kicking Game : Mon Jun 03, 2019 9:20 am  

Anyone agree that our current kicking game could do with improving by about 100%?

All season it’s looked a bit like we’re not executing any kind of plan. The high kicks go up but they’re too deep or not high enough for our chase to exert any pressure. It’s like we’re doing it for the sake of it. A few times in recent weeks the team receiving the ball has had a bad bounce but the chase wasn’t quick enough to capitalise either. Yesterday was the same.

Similarly when we’re on the opposition line we seem to be happy to turn the ball over rather than grubber kick into the in goal. As a defender I know what I’d rather have to deal with. Murrell tried a few nice kicks which we dealt with but they were a threat we never seem to pose.

The only thing we can seem to execute is the touchfinder, which has its place but it’s the easiest type of kick to put in. It’s also the one that shows the least ambition.

I know this comes down to the fact that our halfbacks are inexperienced but I hope to see at least a bit of improvement by the end of the season.

Re: Kicking Game : Mon Jun 03, 2019 9:35 am  

It's lacking just as much as any other facet of our attack.
We were winning yesterday with about 8 minutes to go, and on the last tackle we still put up another pointless, uncontested bomb. Halifax bring the ball down field, score and win the game.

Re: Kicking Game : Mon Jun 03, 2019 11:28 am  

I wonder how much of our kicking options are down to our halfbacks skill/ experience and how much of it is coached as a game plan by Kear. I get the feeling Kear is happier for us to turn it over on the last tackle as close to the opposition goal line as possible, rather than risking a grubber through and conceding a 7 tackle set if it goes dead. I can see his logic but it just means we are no threat and predictable to the opposition on the last tackle.

I think Kear is a fantastic coach but i can't help but feel we really need an attacking coach to come in as an assistant.

Re: Kicking Game : Mon Jun 03, 2019 1:47 pm  

Mentioned this as well.

We need some variety in our last tackle options because at the momentum as Bullseye has mentioned it's something in-between a bomb and chip almost every time.

At least with a grubber kick there's the chance that it takes a bounce, turns the defence around and the FB has to be in position to deal with it.

[Bullseye]

Re: Kicking Game : Mon Jun 03, 2019 2:05 pm  

RABull wrote:

I think Kear is a fantastic coach but i can't help but feel we really need an attacking coach to come in as an assistant.

No chance of that happening unless Kear decides he needs someone. Can you imagine what would happen if Chalmers just brought someone in without it being agreed beforehand?

Re: Kicking Game : Mon Jun 03, 2019 3:15 pm  

Bullseye wrote:

No chance of that happening unless Kear decides he needs someone. Can you imagine what would happen if Chalmers just brought someone in without it being agreed beforehand?

Don't get me wrong i don't for a minute think Chalmers would undermine Kear and just bring someone in. Like you say it will only happen if Kear decides he needs someone. He brought Carvell in during the off season so its not outside of the realms of possibility i suppose

[Bulliac]

Re: Kicking Game : Mon Jun 03, 2019 4:43 pm  

One of the problems for the kickers is that they aren't getting too much time to put the kick away. We need the defence to be put onto the back foot to give the kickers space and time to put the kicks in and this just isn't happening very often. Along side the fact that we've rarely had any continuity in who is playing in the halves, or even a pair of actual halves - and of course, the fact they are all still fairly, or very, young.

Re: Kicking Game : Tue Jun 04, 2019 11:53 am  

When the opposition are near the last tackle inside our 20 I am always fearing the worst. Whoever it is. But, we do defend well. The difference is you feel we are going to be put to a stiff test, and more often than not, we are.

When we are in that position I am now kind of resigned to the probability that we will just turn the ball over. I am pretty fed up of us having extended spells in the opposition 20 without either scoring, or mostly even looking like we might.

Our defence is half decent, but the Attack numbers I think speak for themselves.

Re: Kicking Game : Tue Jun 04, 2019 5:34 pm  

I'd say improving our kicking game by 100% would take it from a 2/10 to a 4/10

Re: Kicking Game : Wed Jun 05, 2019 11:28 pm  

I thought this was going to be a poll on whether we should have one or not