Goalkicking Coach

[archiekeith]

Goal kicking is simply about training the body and mind to repeat the same process identically each time. In much the same way that a golfer is taught how to reliably hit a shot. Obviously some people will have a better starting point but it boils down to finding a technique that works for the individual and repeating over and over in training until come match day pressure you almost go into a trance when taking a kick. You can see the practice processes in certain kickers, when I watch Harry prepare I don’t see a person confident in his technique. For me he doesn’t give the kick sufficient power when he strikes the ball it often falls short which is very weird in a goal kicker. Not all but most of the best kickers will bisect the posts near the top or higher when kicking conversions. (He has the power as evidenced by kicking out on the full from kick off last week) It’s completely different I know but I was a fly half in Union many years ago and was the goal kicker (pretty good one if I say so myself) I was taught early on to focus beyond the posts and imagine a large circle through which I would a slot the ball. It got me concentrating so hard on that spot that the gap between the posts was a massive target which I never worried about. With Harry I suspect given his low confidence right now those posts seem quite narrow! Also be interesting to analyse how many kicks he’s had from the touch line on his wrong side recently - if it’s been a lot then his confidence will fall as he starts to wrack up misses making the easier kicks much more pressurised. He has the natural ability, at the moment he needs someone to get inside his head and give him a mental routine he can trust.

Examples of processes here (from Union mainly sorry I know that might upset some people)

https://youtu.be/76jS6GBOWxA

Excellent postWelski. Practice until it becomes second nature Oh and btw don't hide your qualities under a bushel so to speak

[Firestarter]

I couldnt agree more about all the goal kicking doubts/ideas etc.One thing that does bother me is our inability to break teams through the middle and scire near to the posts. We really seem unable to open a defence through the middle with bursts or good hands etc. Ive noiced we only try these things when we are winning comfortably.I remember oneill putting ellis under the sticks last season and thought we were learning.Unfortunately ive not seen much of this since

[archiekeith]

I couldnt agree more about all the goal kicking doubts/ideas etc.One thing that does bother me is our inability to break teams through the middle and scire near to the posts. We really seem unable to open a defence through the middle with bursts or good hands etc. Ive noiced we only try these things when we are winning comfortably.I remember oneill putting ellis under the sticks last season and thought we were learning.Unfortunately ive not seen much of this since

I agree. Instead of behaving like headless chickens looking for gaps that don't exist try a punt thro'followed by a chase. Could result in gaining a penalty or try , set up for a drop goal etc practice situations till they become second nature

[archiekeith]

I am embarrassed to state posts which are so obvious. The comments made by other posters on this topic are so obvious I'm sure that they too. Are embarrassed having to point out what should be obvious to professional rugby players They shouldn't be learning on the job. They necessary skills should be second nature

[Stanfax]

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.

The reason you won’t remember the year is that it never happened. We only lost twice to Warrington in the league during Frano’s career. A 14-6 defeat in 1990-91 when they scored 3 tries to our one and only kicked one goal themselves and an 11-4 defeat in 1992-3 when they scored two tries and our only points came from Botica penalties


Not 100% if this hasnt happened since but as i remember the last time we list twice to wire was season 1986-87.We won everything that season bar the CC.We lost convincingly at wire and just list narrowly at home in the pouring rain.We did, however beat them in the regal/jps and premiership finals though

Yes we went out to a last minute Paddy Kirwin try at Watersheddings - only just managed to forget that! The only other team to beat us, apart from the Wire, was the 1986 Australians.

[EagleEyePie]

Smith looks like he just steps back and boots it. There's no real consistency or visualisation in his approach to the ball really. He also hooks it inconsistently. Are these things important - I don't know I'm not a pro kicker - but they certainly look different to how other kickers of the past and around the league do it. I think coaching on setup and technique could help him a lot personally.

I've thought this too. Most goalkickers seem to have a very distinct routine and some small quirks or mannerisms when lining up kicks but I haven't really noticed anything with Smith. He's clearly capable of striking the ball well, but I wonder how much coaching he gets in goalkicking and how much is just him kicking from different parts of the field repeatedly.

It's always frustrated me that goalkicking seems to be treated as an afterthought or something to avoid. While it's true that we haven't really lost a game on missed goals this year there have been games where our lack of goals have put us in a position that's much harder to come back from.

In every other aspect of the game you want competition for places and responsibility, so why does goalkicking not seem competitive in the same way that penalty or free kick taking is in football? There should be 3 or 4 players practising regularly, getting coached and fighting to become first choice kicker. Maybe that is the case and it just all happens behind closed doors but it just seems like goalkicking is that job nobody wants and, judging by some of the attempts from backup goalkickers, nobody else seems to practise.

[Welski]

It’s a good job they added points for touching the ball down rather than simply awarding the successful team a ‘try’ at goal kicking!

[moto748]

I think that was before rugby league had ever been thought of, wasn't it?

[Bob the Builder]

Smith looks like he just steps back and boots it. There's no real consistency or visualisation in his approach to the ball really. He also hooks it inconsistently. Are these things important - I don't know I'm not a pro kicker - but they certainly look different to how other kickers of the past and around the league do it. I think coaching on setup and technique could help him a lot personally.

I've thought this too. Most goalkickers seem to have a very distinct routine and some small quirks or mannerisms when lining up kicks but I haven't really noticed anything with Smith. He's clearly capable of striking the ball well, but I wonder how much coaching he gets in goalkicking and how much is just him kicking from different parts of the field repeatedly.

It's always frustrated me that goalkicking seems to be treated as an afterthought or something to avoid. While it's true that we haven't really lost a game on missed goals this year there have been games where our lack of goals have put us in a position that's much harder to come back from.

In every other aspect of the game you want competition for places and responsibility, so why does goalkicking not seem competitive in the same way that penalty or free kick taking is in football? There should be 3 or 4 players practising regularly, getting coached and fighting to become first choice kicker. Maybe that is the case and it just all happens behind closed doors but it just seems like goalkicking is that job nobody wants and, judging by some of the attempts from backup goalkickers, nobody else seems to practise.

Exactly! And the reason I started this thread. But some lunes seem hell bent on taking it off on a tangent. Bottom line is Smith needs some professional coaching to realise his true goalkicking potential. End of!

[Blackpool_Pie]

Smith looks like he just steps back and boots it. There's no real consistency or visualisation in his approach to the ball really. He also hooks it inconsistently. Are these things important - I don't know I'm not a pro kicker - but they certainly look different to how other kickers of the past and around the league do it. I think coaching on setup and technique could help him a lot personally.

I've thought this too. Most goalkickers seem to have a very distinct routine and some small quirks or mannerisms when lining up kicks but I haven't really noticed anything with Smith. He's clearly capable of striking the ball well, but I wonder how much coaching he gets in goalkicking and how much is just him kicking from different parts of the field repeatedly.

It's always frustrated me that goalkicking seems to be treated as an afterthought or something to avoid. While it's true that we haven't really lost a game on missed goals this year there have been games where our lack of goals have put us in a position that's much harder to come back from.

In every other aspect of the game you want competition for places and responsibility, so why does goalkicking not seem competitive in the same way that penalty or free kick taking is in football? There should be 3 or 4 players practising regularly, getting coached and fighting to become first choice kicker. Maybe that is the case and it just all happens behind closed doors but it just seems like goalkicking is that job nobody wants and, judging by some of the attempts from backup goalkickers, nobody else seems to practise.

Exactly! And the reason I started this thread. But some lunes seem hell bent on taking it off on a tangent. Bottom line is Smith needs some professional coaching to realise his true goalkicking potential. End of!

I haven't commented on this thread but your point about Smith needing coaching, do you not think the coaching team know this? Do you think he doesn't already practise? Or do you think he's just taken up kicking during games and never put any work on the training park to get better?