Goalkicking Coach

[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.

You know this for a fact and that Smith doesn’t do extra practice ?

Yes I do because I used to watch them both. Also I used to speak to Frano Botica. I never said that Smith doesn't (in fact I'd be disappointed if he didn't) but it ain't working for him at the moment. He needs extra coaching to improve him to a consistent higher level, of which he is more than capable. You know whenever you put a post on here with an opinion (and I know everyone is entitled to differing opinions). Rather than comment on the overall thread, some people are just hell bent on picking little holes wherever they want. The bottom line is (unless you are a complete lune) it is obvious Smith is a capable kicker who is currently very low on confidence and that a coaching session with a professional would enhance his technique, abilities and consistency. Goal kicks win you tight games, but they can also lose you them too. I've seen many a game that has been decided by the goalkicker it is such an integral part of a team, but Wigan seem happy to ignore the importance (and before I get shot down for this comment) I'll disclaimer with "or so it seems"

[The Pearl1]

Give Hampshire the goal kicking duties.

He’s not good enough to get in the team

[DaiJones]

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

[Mike]

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.

[Fujiman]

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 ?

Yes I do because I used to watch them both. Also I used to speak to Frano Botica. I never said that Smith doesn't (in fact I'd be disappointed if he didn't) but it ain't working for him at the moment. He needs extra coaching to improve him to a consistent higher level, of which he is more than capable. You know whenever you put a post on here with an opinion (and I know everyone is entitled to differing opinions). Rather than comment on the overall thread, some people are just hell bent on picking little holes wherever they want. The bottom line is (unless you are a complete lune) it is obvious Smith is a capable kicker who is currently very low on confidence and that a coaching session with a professional would enhance his technique, abilities and consistency. Goal kicks win you tight games, but they can also lose you them too. I've seen many a game that has been decided by the goalkicker it is such an integral part of a team, but Wigan seem happy to ignore the importance (and before I get shot down for this comment) I'll disclaimer with "or so it seems"

Spot on

[archiekeith]

It doesn't "disclaim" the expression " or so it seems"it merely confirms it has an opinion and allows for other posters to disagree That said I agree with you your not being dogmatic

[Firestarter]

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

[Welski]

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

[Welski]

The last one is a great example of trance like state - the very odd technique invites a huge amount of abuse from the crowd and yet it works for him!!

[pearsy]

It's been a problem for Wigan for along time. One match i remember Tomkins Williams Charnley all having a go in the same match But the powers that be don't regard as a problem till it cost us in the challenge cup or the Grand Final