Goalkicking Coach

Discuss all things Wigan Warriors. Comments and opinions on all aspects of the club's performance are welcome.
Bob the Builder
Posts: 109
Joined: Sat Aug 21, 2021 9:50 am

Goalkicking Coach

Post by Bob the Builder »

Does Harry Smith and Wigan have a goalkicking coach. I'm not aware of one. I suspect its not just me who thinks one is needed asap. Frano Botica and Pat Richards were not natural goalkicker, but practice, practice and more practice made them excellent goalkickers. They both used to stay on the training pitch in all weathers after training had finished, whilst the rest of the squad went for a lovely round of golf. I also remember how Sam Tomkins improved following a Union kicking coach spending time with him. Harry Smith is not a bad kicker (yes his confidence is shot at the moment) but he needs some help. Even a short term coaching session would help. Matches are won on successful conversions. Come on Wigan get it sorted.
keptinthedarkfans
Posts: 1750
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2013 2:11 pm

Re: Goalkicking Coach

Post by keptinthedarkfans »

Bob the Builder wrote: Thu Jun 08, 2023 8:42 pm Does Harry Smith and Wigan have a goalkicking coach. I'm not aware of one. I suspect its not just me who thinks one is needed asap. Frano Botica and Pat Richards were not natural goalkicker, but practice, practice and more practice made them excellent goalkickers. They both used to stay on the training pitch in all weathers after training had finished, whilst the rest of the squad went for a lovely round of golf. I also remember how Sam Tomkins improved following a Union kicking coach spending time with him. Harry Smith is not a bad kicker (yes his confidence is shot at the moment) but he needs some help. Even a short term coaching session would help. Matches are won on successful conversions. Come on Wigan get it sorted.
Botica was a natural goal kicker.
Graham1
Posts: 234
Joined: Mon May 10, 2021 8:44 am

Re: Goalkicking Coach

Post by Graham1 »

Can’t understand why joe shorrocks not been given a go. He used to kick in his academy days, would take some pressure of Harry.
Bob the Builder
Posts: 109
Joined: Sat Aug 21, 2021 9:50 am

Re: Goalkicking Coach

Post by Bob the Builder »

keptinthedarkfans wrote: Thu Jun 08, 2023 9:07 pm
Bob the Builder wrote: Thu Jun 08, 2023 8:42 pm Does Harry Smith and Wigan have a goalkicking coach. I'm not aware of one. I suspect its not just me who thinks one is needed asap. Frano Botica and Pat Richards were not natural goalkicker, but practice, practice and more practice made them excellent goalkickers. They both used to stay on the training pitch in all weathers after training had finished, whilst the rest of the squad went for a lovely round of golf. I also remember how Sam Tomkins improved following a Union kicking coach spending time with him. Harry Smith is not a bad kicker (yes his confidence is shot at the moment) but he needs some help. Even a short term coaching session would help. Matches are won on successful conversions. Come on Wigan get it sorted.
Botica was a natural goal kicker.
You're just being pedantic and missing my point about the need for a goalkicking coach. And just for the record Frank Botica was forced our of an All Blacks team as Grant Fox was deemed a much superior goalkicker. It was only when he switched to league did he improve his level of goalkicking. It was also his personal goal and objective to reach such perfection to ensure his place in the all conquering Wigan team
keptinthedarkfans
Posts: 1750
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2013 2:11 pm

Re: Goalkicking Coach

Post by keptinthedarkfans »

Where do you get me being pedantic. You made a statement and I replied to it botica was first choice goal kicker in every club he played for in both codes. Never dropping below 80% success.
I have seen many great goalkickers. Botica was best I have ever seen. Born goal kicker. I do however agree practice practice practice but Smith will never be a high percentage kicker. Not knocking the lad I don't do that. Just time to take that kicking pressure off him. Even if we have to rotate kicker. We have done it before with good success.
Flash
Posts: 248
Joined: Sat Apr 06, 2019 10:45 am

Re: Goalkicking Coach

Post by Flash »

keptinthedarkfans wrote: Thu Jun 08, 2023 10:13 pm Where do you get me being pedantic. You made a statement and I replied to it botica was first choice goal kicker in every club he played for in both codes. Never dropping below 80% success.
I have seen many great goalkickers. Botica was best I have ever seen. Born goal kicker. I do however agree practice practice practice but Smith will never be a high percentage kicker. Not knocking the lad I don't do that. Just time to take that kicking pressure off him. Even if we have to rotate kicker. We have done it before with good success.
To be fair, none of that prioves he was a natural kicker. You can be a high percentage kicker through practice. You can be the first choice kicker at every team you play in (actually not true in Botica's case anyway) through practice. In fact I'd argue that you are more likely to be both of those things than a 'natural' kicker who doesn't practice. Wasn't it Gary Player who said "The more I practice, the luckier I become".

Botica himself is on record as saying he practiced hours and hours since keeping his kicking percentages up was the only way he could stay in that Wigan side.
Charriots Offiah
Posts: 4129
Joined: Fri Sep 18, 2020 1:14 pm

Re: Goalkicking Coach

Post by Charriots Offiah »

Give Hampshire the goal kicking duties.
nathan_rugby
Posts: 4166
Joined: Sun Apr 23, 2006 9:12 pm

Re: Goalkicking Coach

Post by nathan_rugby »

keptinthedarkfans wrote: Thu Jun 08, 2023 10:13 pm Where do you get me being pedantic. You made a statement and I replied to it botica was first choice goal kicker in every club he played for in both codes. Never dropping below 80% success.
I have seen many great goalkickers. Botica was best I have ever seen. Born goal kicker. I do however agree practice practice practice but Smith will never be a high percentage kicker. Not knocking the lad I don't do that. Just time to take that kicking pressure off him. Even if we have to rotate kicker. We have done it before with good success.
Why not ?

He got just above 80% last year didn’t he?
Bomhead - "Lockers to prop."
nathan_rugby
Posts: 4166
Joined: Sun Apr 23, 2006 9:12 pm

Re: Goalkicking Coach

Post by nathan_rugby »

Bob the Builder wrote: Thu Jun 08, 2023 8:42 pm Does Harry Smith and Wigan have a goalkicking coach. I'm not aware of one. I suspect its not just me who thinks one is needed asap. Frano Botica and Pat Richards were not natural goalkicker, but practice, practice and more practice made them excellent goalkickers. They both used to stay on the training pitch in all weathers after training had finished, whilst the rest of the squad went for a lovely round of golf. I also remember how Sam Tomkins improved following a Union kicking coach spending time with him. Harry Smith is not a bad kicker (yes his confidence is shot at the moment) but he needs some help. Even a short term coaching session would help. Matches are won on successful conversions. Come on Wigan get it sorted.
You know this for a fact and that Smith doesn’t do extra practice ?
Bomhead - "Lockers to prop."
ian.birchall
Posts: 3679
Joined: Sun Jun 01, 2003 9:42 pm

Re: Goalkicking Coach

Post by ian.birchall »

I cannot remember the year now but I do remember a year pre Superleague when on the old fixture programme where Wigan won 28 out of 30 league matches but the 2 losses were both to the Wire and those two matches were lost as a result of Frano missing his kicks all game.
Regarder une fille en bikini, c'est comme avoir un revolver chargé sur sa table:
Il n'y a rien de mal a ça mais il est difficile de penser à autre chose.


Now Europe is just for holidays.
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