Page 1 of 5
Goalkicking Coach
Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2023 8:42 pm
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.
Re: Goalkicking Coach
Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2023 9:07 pm
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.
Re: Goalkicking Coach
Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2023 9:16 pm
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.
Re: Goalkicking Coach
Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2023 9:46 pm
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
Re: Goalkicking Coach
Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2023 10:13 pm
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.
Re: Goalkicking Coach
Posted: Fri Jun 09, 2023 12:15 am
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.
Re: Goalkicking Coach
Posted: Fri Jun 09, 2023 3:28 am
by Charriots Offiah
Give Hampshire the goal kicking duties.
Re: Goalkicking Coach
Posted: Fri Jun 09, 2023 7:21 am
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?
Re: Goalkicking Coach
Posted: Fri Jun 09, 2023 7:21 am
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 ?
Re: Goalkicking Coach
Posted: Fri Jun 09, 2023 7:39 am
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.