Boyd less than buoyed by sloppy kicking

[bornadog]

The Age -Michael Gleeson (http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/boyd-less-than-buoyed-by-sloppy-kicking-20120401-1w6nk.html)

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa198/mmsalih/art-svBULLDOGS-420x0-1.jpg

MATTHEW Boyd has long laboured on his kicking. Yesterday, the Bulldogs captain and his coach admitted he had more work do yet after a game in which he had 20 kicks but only six of them got where he wanted them to go.
Boyd admitted fatigue, and the natural consequence of the inside the pack position he played meant that his kicking was sloppy - but he conceded his 30 per cent kicking efficiency was poor. Twice, under no pressure, he grubbed the ball along the ground.
''Thirty per cent? Yeah obviously I would like to kick the ball a bit better. I think fatigue came in towards the end and I kicked a couple off the end of the toe.

''We all want to play better and execute better, and I want to execute better and I don't think I will lose any sleep over the fact I missed a few kicks.

''I will work on it and get better,'' Boyd said after the 49-point loss to the Eagles in their season opener at Etihad Stadium yesterday.
''It's a product of the position you play as well. I like to think I am in tight and getting a bit of contested ball.
''It's round one and the heat of the game takes its toll on the body. No excuses but fatigue set in late and I was cramping in both legs and that takes a bit of the polish off your game. We will work on it. It wasn't great in terms of myself for disposal efficiency, but I will work on it and try and get better.''

Bulldogs coach Brendan McCartney defended Boyd's game on the grounds of fatigue but admitted he would doubtless reflect on his disposal.
''He is a professional, he is a fantastic person and has been a great player for a long time and he will go home tonight and dissect where he can get better and that might bob up in his own mind,'' McCartney said.
Boyd was also industrious in the packs and had 10 clearances and his disposal by hand was far more efficient - of 18 handballs, 14 hit their mark.

The Bulldogs stuck with the Eagles for three quarters but after being five points down midway through the third term, the Eagles kicked nine unanswered goals to break the game open. Josh Kennedy booted seven for the Eagles while Dogs debutant Clay Smith booted four in three quarters before suffering ''full body cramp'' and needing to be substituted out of the game.
Young midfielder Christian Howard injured his left knee in the last term and is expected to miss four weeks after straining his medial ligament. Ryan Griffen is expected to be fit to return to the side next week.
McCartney said that while he was disappointed the game opened out he was also pleased to be close until midway through the third quarter.

''I think as a coaching group you can't move away from the fact that is where the game was at. And why was the game at that stage? Because we were doing a lot right as a group … the team was functioning well,'' he said
''Why did it open up? That's what coaching is about. We will be optimistic with this group and certainly on the positive side with them and that won't be airy-fairy fluffy-duffy stuff. I think we will identify some fundamentals to team defence that will help us.
''I like our young players. I think there's a lot of upside in them and they all showed glimpses today …''

[The Coon Dog]

Received a number of texts during the course of the day, one in particular made me laugh; 'Boyd the butcher'.

[The Underdog]

For a guy making no excuses, he's making a few excuses.

[Dancin' Douggy]

See, we weren't making it up.

[Ghost Dog]

For a guy making no excuses, he's making a few excuses.

lol - exactly!
Does this mean we have to look at our rotations? Trying to do too much

[bornadog]

Maybe he needs to handball more, he hit 14 of 18 handballs. Needs to learn from Cross who had 6 kicks and 22 handballs.

[Desipura]

What was his excuse when he grubbed one in the middle of the ground in the 2rd qtr? Fatigue?

[Mantis]

Maybe he needs to handball more, he hit 14 of 18 handballs. Needs to learn from Cross who had 6 kicks and 22 handballs.

So who kicks it?

Said it years ago, Boyd needs to take more care with his kicking, take the 'safe' option and don't believe he is the second coming of Nathan Buckley.

[bornadog]

So who kicks it?

Sherman, Tutt, Dahlhaus, Griffen, Cooney - do I need to go on.

[SlimPickens]

Maybe he needs to handball more, he hit 14 of 18 handballs. Needs to learn from Cross who had 6 kicks and 22 handballs.

Agree- we need to make it a focus of getting the ball to our better uses (Cooney, Griffen, Murphy etc)

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Seemed hesitant to take blame.

It's not just one game -- his disposal is crap every game.

I remember this issue was brought up on "The Couch" last year (or maybe 2010?), and Boyd didn't want to accept the criticism. He kept avoiding it, saying it only mattered what the coaches thought.

Fact is Boyd, you can get it 60 times, but if you turn it over as often as you do, it does more harm than good.

[Ghost Dog]

Seemed hesitant to take blame.

It's not just one game -- his disposal is crap every game.

I remember this issue was brought up on "The Couch" last year (or maybe 2010?), and Boyd didn't want to accept the criticism. He kept avoiding it, saying it only mattered what the coaches thought.

Fact is Boyd, you can get it 60 times, but if you turn it over as often as you do, it does more harm than good.

You are right there. This as been an issue since I joined this forum.

[azabob]

What annoyed me most in the article he says Im not going to lose sleep over it..

Matthew Boyd you are the captain of our club.

If the captain isn't going to take responsibility for hitting targets why should Liam Jones practise his goal kicking, why should Clay Smith work on his field kicking?

Extremely disappointed in his response...

[comrade]

The heat will be on him all year now. It'll be interesting to see how he copes.

[Max469]

Stand up as Captain.

Take responsibility of your own actions. Stop making excuses.

Your disposal is crap.

Fatigue? Round 1? God it is going to be a long year.

[Bulldog4life]

What annoyed me most in the article he says Im not going to lose sleep over it..

Matthew Boyd you are the captain of our club.

If the captain isn't going to take responsibility for hitting targets why should Liam Jones practise his goal kicking, why should Clay Smith work on his field kicking?

Extremely disappointed in his response...

First time I had seen him live and I expected the worse from what I had read on this forum. I was pleasantly surprised with his kicking. An unusual action but effective.

[Sedat]

Haven't seen yesterday's game yet, but one of Boyd's most impactful games last year was against Carlton when he worked in tandem with Cooney to work Judd over at the stoppages - Boyd only got it low 20's that game but was superb in his ability to close down Judd and win important ball going the other way. I'm not a massive fan of his 35+ possession games because it means that Cooney or Griffen have it in their hands less times - I'm actually convinced that the opposition structure up deliberately so that natural ball hunters like Boyd and Cross have it in their hands as often as possible.

[ledge]

First time I had seen him live and I expected the worse from what I had read on this forum. I was pleasantly surprised with his kicking. An unusual action but effective.

Cassius looks like he is kicking on the wrong foot every time

[chef]

Cassius looks like he is kicking on the wrong foot every time

He has a double hand drop which makes it look this way IMO.

[LostDoggy]

- I'm actually convinced that the opposition structure up deliberately so that natural ball hunters like Boyd and Cross have it in their hands as often as possible.

Of course they do. Only in footy of all sports is the actual number of possession rated so highly, as opposed to the quality of your possession.

Does anyone care how many times a guy gets the ball in field hockey? People only care what you do with it. I never remembered my soccer coaches telling me to aim to get it 80 times a game, just what to do when I did get it. Which paper reported how many times Wayne Rooney got the ball on the weekend? None. (I'm not saying it's not important -- soccer coaches do track these things and you don't want some guys -- like Xavi or Messi -- getting it a lot, but it's just not a big part of the way people evaluate a players' worth.) Same in basketball -- you actually WANT the ball in the hands of the worst users as they'll likely turn it over so you structure your defence accordingly to let them have it.

Just like basketball, turnovers are a major source of scoring in modern footy, so I'm sure that's exactly what opposition coaches are doing -- if, as an Eagles coach, you know that Boydy getting the ball means that you'll score more likely than not from the turnover (or at least get the ball back -- with a 30% kicking efficiency rating that means he actually won the ball 14 times for the Eagles) why wouldn't you let him get it 50 times in traffic?

[LostDoggy]

''It's a product of the position you play as well. I like to think I am in tight and getting a bit of contested ball"

Its not the disposals from the tight contested play that gives me the tom tits, it is when he is open and clear and heading into our half when he kicks it straight to the opposition. I have seen this numerous times.

You never see blokes like Pendlebury do this .... they make every opportunity count when banging it into their forwards.

[Ghost Dog]

''It's a product of the position you play as well. I like to think I am in tight and getting a bit of contested ball"

Its not the disposals from the tight contested play that gives me the tom tits, it is when he is open and clear and heading into our half when he kicks it straight to the opposition. I have seen this numerous times.

You never see blokes like Pendlebury do this .... they make every opportunity count when banging it into their forwards.

Absolving himself of his responsibility. Maybe he just doesn't know how.

[Ghost Dog]

Of course they do. Only in footy of all sports is the actual number of possession rated so highly, as opposed to the quality of your possession.

Does anyone care how many times a guy gets the ball in field hockey? People only care what you do with it. I never remembered my soccer coaches telling me to aim to get it 80 times a game, just what to do when I did get it. Which paper reported how many times Wayne Rooney got the ball on the weekend? None. (I'm not saying it's not important -- soccer coaches do track these things and you don't want some guys -- like Xavi or Messi -- getting it a lot, but it's just not a big part of the way people evaluate a players' worth.) Same in basketball -- you actually WANT the ball in the hands of the worst users as they'll likely turn it over so you structure your defence accordingly to let them have it.

Just like basketball, turnovers are a major source of scoring in modern footy, so I'm sure that's exactly what opposition coaches are doing -- if, as an Eagles coach, you know that Boydy getting the ball means that you'll score more likely than not from the turnover (or at least get the ball back -- with a 30% kicking efficiency rating that means he actually won the ball 14 times for the Eagles) why wouldn't you let him get it 50 times in traffic?

Interesting. So you reckon coaches go like this...

Ok boys, if Boyd gets the ball in the forward line, hedge him a bit, cover his options and as soon as he disposes of it, more often than not, we'll get the pill back.

[Dazza]

Boyds kicking disposal is the only thing holding him back from being elite. I'm not sure he can work on it. Maybe he should take less responsibility kicking the ball and start trying to feed off to our better ball users.

[1eyedog]

Maybe he needs to handball more, he hit 14 of 18 handballs. Needs to learn from Cross who had 6 kicks and 22 handballs.

Someone has to kick the blooming thing.

This has been a trend for Boydy over many years, more work isn't going to greatly improve the output at his age. We simply have to wait until better users develop enough to play in the midfield.

[1eyedog]

Boyds kicking disposal is the only thing holding him back from being elite. I'm not sure he can work on it. Maybe he should take less responsibility kicking the ball and start trying to feed off to our better ball users.

This is a massive deficit and really makes me think that elite and Boyd can never go in the same sentence. This argument has gone around on this forum before. The only option in the midfield is Cooney. Cross, Smith, Libba, Wallis, Sherman and Picken are all in the same boat as Boyd.

[Maddog37]

Boyd to play the Picken role. Wallis to be Boyd and Picken to either small forward or small defender.

Just throwing it out there.

We will never win a flag with Boyd and Cross as the main mids ( no disrespect intended) and this year should be all about the kids.

Boyd kicked like Mick Mcguane on painkillers and Gia who is normally a beautiful deliverer was just pinging it on the boot.

[Greystache]

This is a massive deficit and really makes me think that elite and Boyd can never go in the same sentence. This argument has gone around on this forum before. The only option in the midfield is Cooney. Cross, Smith, Libba, Wallis, Sherman and Picken are all in the same boat as Boyd.

I don't know why Libba always gets lumped into the can't kick category. He may not be a penetrating kick but he hits a target as well as anyone, puts the ball to a team mates advantage, and kicks within his limitations. He's actually someone Boyd could learn a lot from.

[azabob]

I don't know why Libba always gets lumped into the can't kick category. He may not be a penetrating kick but he hits a target as well as anyone, puts the ball to a team mates advantage, and kicks within his limitations. He's actually someone Boyd could learn a lot from.

He uses the ball well by both hand and foot and doesn't make too many wrong decisions either.

[Ghost Dog]

Of course they do. Only in footy of all sports is the actual number of possession rated so highly, as opposed to the quality of your possession.

Does anyone care how many times a guy gets the ball in field hockey? People only care what you do with it. I never remembered my soccer coaches telling me to aim to get it 80 times a game, just what to do when I did get it. Which paper reported how many times Wayne Rooney got the ball on the weekend? None. (I'm not saying it's not important -- soccer coaches do track these things and you don't want some guys -- like Xavi or Messi -- getting it a lot, but it's just not a big part of the way people evaluate a players' worth.) Same in basketball -- you actually WANT the ball in the hands of the worst users as they'll likely turn it over so you structure your defence accordingly to let them have it.

Just like basketball, turnovers are a major source of scoring in modern footy, so I'm sure that's exactly what opposition coaches are doing -- if, as an Eagles coach, you know that Boydy getting the ball means that you'll score more likely than not from the turnover (or at least get the ball back -- with a 30% kicking efficiency rating that means he actually won the ball 14 times for the Eagles) why wouldn't you let him get it 50 times in traffic?

Post of the day. Absolutely 100% spot on. Does anyone count how many shots you actually hit in tennis. It's where you hit it. So what are we to do with Capt Boyd?

[bornadog]

Post of the day. Absolutely 100% spot on. Does anyone count how many shots you actually hit in tennis. It's where you hit it. So what are we to do with Capt Boyd?

Pretty easy really. Boyd is the number one contested possession getter in the AFL, his strike rate with handball is 80%, but kicking woeful. Solution, don't kick it, handball to a player who knows how to.

[westdog54]

Sherman, Tutt, Dahlhaus, Griffen, Cooney - do I need to go on.

Problem is only two of those five played yesterday, and of those two one is a shadow of his former self and the other is a second year player who quite fankly shouldn't have to bel shouldered with that sort of responsibility.

Boyd is better than what he showed yesterday. A lot better.

[AndrewP6]

Funnily enough, I commented last year on Boyd's poor disposal, and was shot down. It really irked me to read him saying he wasn't going to lose sleep over it - bloody hell, you're the captain, giving the ball back to the opposition frequently, and you think you can improve it "a bit"? Far out, we're in for a long year. As has been stated, for someone in his position, he's awfully good at not taking responsibility for his weaknesses. :mad:

[AndrewP6]

Interesting. So you reckon coaches go like this...

Ok boys, if Boyd gets the ball in the forward line, hedge him a bit, cover his options and as soon as he disposes of it, more often than not, we'll get the pill back.

Absolutely they would be. They can afford to devote more time to the damaging midfielders.

[Stefcep]

Keep at it Matty! You'll get it eventually. Only been 25 years since your first kick, still time to get it right.

What. A. Joke.

On any given week I'm amazed at the number of AFL players that lack one or more of the fundamental skills to play the game. How do they get this far? Or is the talent pool that shallow?

[MrMahatma]

So who kicks it?

Said it years ago, Boyd needs to take more care with his kicking, take the 'safe' option and don't believe he is the second coming of Nathan Buckley.
Agree with this. He tries to drill stab passes. Just get it from a-to-b!

[Desipura]

Pretty easy really. Boyd is the number one contested possession getter in the AFL, his strike rate with handball is 80%, but kicking woeful. Solution, don't kick it, handball to a player who knows how to.
What if Cross is beside him? Do they handball to each other and play hot potato? :D

[bornadog]

What if Cross is beside him? Do they handball to each other and play hot potato? :D

Yes they can handball to each other running towards goal until a kicker appears:D

[Sedat]

Said it years ago, Boyd needs to take more care with his kicking, take the 'safe' option and don't believe he is the second coming of Nathan Buckley.In the words of Dirty Harry, "a man's got to know his limitations".

This is the one thing that infuriates me with regard to Boyd. He does so many things wonderfully well but his ambitions exceed his talent level when it comes to disposal by foot - he is not Buckley, or Jarman, or Gilbee and he never will be. Cross is actually a better distributor by foot than Boyd because he works within his limitations - actually Crossy doesn't trust his foot skills anywhere near enough but that's a topic for another day. Tom Liberatore has much better disposal by foot that Boyd, likewise does Jobe Watson. They weight their kicks to give the oncoming player the best chance to run onto the ball. Boyd more often than not tries to spear a 'perfect' pass that invariably ends up being anything but perfect. Because he is such a warrior and a tireless worker on the training track and in matches, he almost bristles at any suggestion that he has this deficiency that hurts his team.

[DragzLS1]

If Boyd hit 50% of his targets he would be borderline elite..

[bornadog]

If Boyd hit 50% of his targets he would be borderline elite..

His average effective disposals in 2011 was 62%, so he is elite based on your criteria.

For comparison with highest possession gatherers, Judd is at 67%, Josh Kennedy 62%, Priddis 62%, Swan 69% and the best is Pendulbury at 78%.

Had a bad day on Sunday with 53% effective.

Facts speak for them selves, not perception or memory of a couple of clangers.

[Cyberdoggie]

So who kicks it?

Said it years ago, Boyd needs to take more care with his kicking, take the 'safe' option and don't believe he is the second coming of Nathan Buckley.

Exactly that's his problem. Tries to do too much, when he stops trying to nail the perfect stab pass he doesn't have a problem. Someone needs to tell him he's not the most gifted footballer skills wise and he should be happy with that.

[Mantis]

His average effective disposals in 2011 was 62%, so he is elite based on your criteria.

For comparison with highest possession gatherers, Judd is at 67%, Josh Kennedy 62%, Priddis 62%, Swan 69% and the best is Pendulbury at 78%.

Had a bad day on Sunday with 53% effective.

Facts speak for them selves, not perception or memory of a couple of clangers.

How is 'effective' defined by this stats provider?

[Doc26]

His average effective disposals in 2011 was 62%, so he is elite based on your criteria.

For comparison with highest possession gatherers, Judd is at 67%, Josh Kennedy 62%, Priddis 62%, Swan 69% and the best is Pendulbury at 78%.

Had a bad day on Sunday with 53% effective.

Facts speak for them selves, not perception or memory of a couple of clangers.

This discussion has deja vu written all over it.

We really need to break down Boyd's effective stats in particular those taken by foot.

To gauge what many on here are often referring to re Boyd and his ineffective disposal there would need to be a statistical measurement which assesses the number of times a disposal by foot should've in most instances been effective but ended up being ineffective (not necessarily a turnover or clanger), if that makes sense.

[AndrewP6]

Exactly that's his problem. Tries to do too much, when he stops trying to nail the perfect stab pass he doesn't have a problem. Someone needs to tell him he's not the most gifted footballer skills wise and he should be happy with that.

But you know he won't be, the hackles will go up :)

[bornadog]

How is 'effective' defined by this stats provider?

AFL Stats, - I don't know.

[DragzLS1]

His average effective disposals in 2011 was 62%, so he is elite based on your criteria.
For comparison with highest possession gatherers, Judd is at 67%, Josh Kennedy 62%, Priddis 62%, Swan 69% and the best is Pendulbury at 78%.

Had a bad day on Sunday with 53% effective.

Facts speak for them selves, not perception or memory of a couple of clangers.


I said borderline elite, not elite.

He would need to improve his disposal effectiveness, not jsut disposal.. Pendles is just gifted, Boyd isnt so will never be that effective and is unfair to expect that

[LostDoggy]

We really need to break down Boyd's effective stats in particular those taken by foot.


This. Just get his effectiveness percentage by foot.

He tends to split his kicking and handballing quite evenly over his games (roughly), and the fact that he has close to a 80% disposal effectiveness by hand but closer to 50/60% overall suggests that his kicking efficiency is close to around 30%.

So what the stats actually show is that he is unquestionably an elite ballgetter and handballer, but a really, really average kick (being kind). I think what it actually says (and many are already saying this) is that he's trying to do too much with his kicks, so it may not be that he is an average kick, but that he's performing average kicks, if that makes any sense.

Playing within his limits, he's not a bad kick at all. Playing outside his limits, well, 30% kicking efficiency says it all, doesn't it?

[jeemak]

Of course they do. Only in footy of all sports is the actual number of possession rated so highly, as opposed to the quality of your possession.

Does anyone care how many times a guy gets the ball in field hockey? People only care what you do with it. I never remembered my soccer coaches telling me to aim to get it 80 times a game, just what to do when I did get it. Which paper reported how many times Wayne Rooney got the ball on the weekend? None. (I'm not saying it's not important -- soccer coaches do track these things and you don't want some guys -- like Xavi or Messi -- getting it a lot, but it's just not a big part of the way people evaluate a players' worth.) Same in basketball -- you actually WANT the ball in the hands of the worst users as they'll likely turn it over so you structure your defence accordingly to let them have it.

Just like basketball, turnovers are a major source of scoring in modern footy, so I'm sure that's exactly what opposition coaches are doing -- if, as an Eagles coach, you know that Boydy getting the ball means that you'll score more likely than not from the turnover (or at least get the ball back -- with a 30% kicking efficiency rating that means he actually won the ball 14 times for the Eagles) why wouldn't you let him get it 50 times in traffic?

I think possession counts are rated more highly in in Australian Rules because it can be so bloody hard to get the ball. It demonstrates work rate as well, in a lot of cases just as tackle counts do.

Appreciate what you're saying though, and up only a couple of years ago all you had to do to get recognised was get the thing. Your point about modern footy being closely aligned with basketball with respect to scoring from turnovers is well made, and I think comentary on the game is starting to take this into account.

[DragzLS1]

This. Just get his effectiveness percentage by foot.

He tends to split his kicking and handballing quite evenly over his games (roughly), and the fact that he has close to a 80% disposal effectiveness by hand but closer to 50/60% overall suggests that his kicking efficiency is close to around 30%.

So what the stats actually show is that he is unquestionably an elite ballgetter and handballer, but a really, really average kick (being kind). I think what it actually says (and many are already saying this) is that he's trying to do too much with his kicks, so it may not be that he is an average kick, but that he's performing average kicks, if that makes any sense.

Playing within his limits, he's not a bad kick at all. Playing outside his limits, well, 30% kicking efficiency says it all, doesn't it?

Exactly if his kicking is 50% and handballs are 80% then it's a 65% efficiency return which is in the top 5 in the league! Some times just take an easier option and open the play instead of going for that pin point pass that will rarely pay off.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

I'd also like to know the % of goals that occur as a result of Boyd's turnovers. They generally seem to be in dangerous parts of the ground (eg. corridor) which inevitably ends up in an opposition scoring shot.

Judd's not great by foot, but he weights the ball much better than Boyd, and certainly doesn't turn it over in the same spots as Boydy.

[LostDoggy]

Only in footy of all sports is the actual number of possession rated so highly, as opposed to the quality of your possession.


Lantern, if the AFL didn't keep the "possession" stat, how would they know who to give the brownlow votes to? You'd have hardworking backmen getting votes and that is just absurd. :rolleyes:

[Desipura]

If a player grubs a kick to a teammate and he picks it up and takes a few steps and is tackled and paid holding the ball against, was that kick classified as effective?

[Mofra]

Cassius looks like he is kicking on the wrong foot every time


He has a double hand drop which makes it look this way IMO.
He drops the ball very close to his quad, the replays at the game made it look very awkward.

[Mofra]

How is 'effective' defined by this stats provider?
The AFL loves it's buzzowrd so he's one: "To advantage"

From memory a long kick that gains metres but ends in a stalemate (out of bound or a ball up) is deemed effective.

[ledge]

We have a few strange looking kickers, Jones and Grant.

[1eyedog]

I don't know why Libba always gets lumped into the can't kick category. He may not be a penetrating kick but he hits a target as well as anyone, puts the ball to a team mates advantage, and kicks within his limitations. He's actually someone Boyd could learn a lot from.

You're right he is not a penetrating kick but he is a straight kick. The problem with his kicking is that the ball tends to balloon to team mates giving the opposition time to defend in the air. Either way this is a disadvantage. I thought we were talking about getting very good (if not elite) players who kick the ball well in the midfield rather than just ones who know how to kick within their limitations.

[Ghost Dog]

You're right he is not a penetrating kick but he is a straight kick. The problem with his kicking is that the ball tends to balloon to team mates giving the opposition time to defend in the air. Either way this is a disadvantage. I thought we were talking about getting very good (if not elite) players who kick the ball well in the midfield rather than just ones who know how to kick within their limitations.

A long handball is as good as a short kick. As long as he gets it where it needs to go, don't care if its a handball or a kick.

[Mofra]

Libba was one of the standouts for the draft camp kicking though I thought.
I'm actually pretty comfortable with his disposal, especially when he gets time to wind up on his left foot. Certainly has his old man covered.

[Remi Moses]

Love Boyd as a player, but 30 % kicking efficiency isn't good enough

[jeemak]

He drops the ball very close to his quad, the replays at the game made it look very awkward.

I've noticed this, and I'm gratefull that this is his major issue. As his running training and skills training develop now he is in the elite system pushing his ball drop further out is probably an easiser issue to deal with than running around corners or having a high ball drop might be.

Some kicking techniques can't be helped, while others can. Extending the arms forward is something that can be trained over time, moreso than other issues. He just needs to be dedicated to it.

[LostDoggy]

I just dont understand why we dont play griffen purely outside. we have so many in and
under types now its ridiculous.

get it into his hands as often as possible, and failing that cooney, dalhous (at least seems to gain about 30 metres with a bit of toe before he even kicks it) etc.

even smith / shereman etc while not elite kicks could be very dangerous linking up with
your griffens and cooneys as long as they play to their strenths . boyd through sheer willpower tries to do it all himself sometimes when things arent going our way. in other
words what is actually a good character trait is his greatest weakness also.

[mjp]

A long handball is as good as a short kick. As long as he gets it where it needs to go, don't care if its a handball or a kick.

It isn't as simple as that.

A kick can be used to stop play by either kicker or receiver. A long handball simply must be an attacking option only and needs to 'lead' the receiver into open space.

A long handball might be as good as a short kick - but it sends a different message to the receiver and has different implications. Players who struggle to kick short and elect for a 15m handball instead can cause problems for their team-mates if the opposition react in a way that was unexpected by the handballer - or in fact if he simply failed to account to one of them.

Whenever I see a long handball to a stationery player I seriously wonder what the intention of the disposer is.

[Ghost Dog]

It isn't as simple as that.

A kick can be used to stop play by either kicker or receiver. A long handball simply must be an attacking option only and needs to 'lead' the receiver into open space.

A long handball might be as good as a short kick - but it sends a different message to the receiver and has different implications. Players who struggle to kick short and elect for a 15m handball instead can cause problems for their team-mates if the opposition react in a way that was unexpected by the handballer - or in fact if he simply failed to account to one of them.

Whenever I see a long handball to a stationery player I seriously wonder what the intention of the disposer is.

That would depend on who is doing the handball, from where to who. Spreading from the contest by hand, less errors seem to be made by our captain. 20 effective possessions have to be better than 30 that result in 4 goals by the opposition.

[Maddog37]

Interesting that Griff had a 48% disposal efficiency against the Cows and no mention on any threads about it.........

[bornadog]

Interesting that Griff had a 48% disposal efficiency against the Cows and no mention on any threads about it.........

He isnot a scapegoat some others;)

[bornadog]

Disposal effeciency this week was 71%, good come back from the captain.

[bornadog]

Well, Boyd let himself down big time this week. After doing all the hard work and picking up 44 disposals, he only had a disposal efficiency of 50%.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Well, Boyd let himself down big time this week. After doing all the hard work and picking up 44 disposals, he only had a disposal efficiency of 50%.

He really was a turnover machine today.

His work rate is quite unbelievable and his ability to win the ball in a contest is perhaps better than any other player in the competition, but boy -- his disposal is really ordinary and it hurts us.

[azabob]

Disposal effeciency this week was 71%, good come back from the captain.


Well, Boyd let himself down big time this week. After doing all the hard work and picking up 44 disposals, he only had a disposal efficiency of 50%.

Bornadog, I was hoping for a negative free week and was disappointed when I saw you decided to comment on the match vote thread and this thread about Boyd's disposal.

But due credit to you, as you call the good and bad. :)

Hopefully this thread doesn't dominate this weeks discussion.

[Doggy]

He also had 50% of his 44 possessions contested.

[bornadog]

Bornadog, I was hoping for a negative free week and was disappointed when I saw you decided to comment on the match vote thread and this thread about Boyd's disposal.

But due credit to you, as you call the good and bad. :)

Hopefully this thread doesn't dominate this weeks discussion.

Yeah, sorry about that, I was a bit frustrated that he was in the votes and I just couldn't give him votes for butchering the ball. I love Boyd but he needs to handball more than kick.

[Ghost Dog]

Yeah, sorry about that, I was a bit frustrated that he was in the votes and I just couldn't give him votes for butchering the ball. I love Boyd but he needs to handball more than kick.

Some players just look like they have a few extra seconds. Boyd is not one. I think he carries the weight of the world on his shoulders and needs to relax a little. Some of the out of bounds on the full were just plain odd!

[bornadog]

Some players just look like they have a few extra seconds. Boyd is not one. I think he carries the weight of the world on his shoulders and needs to relax a little. Some of the out of bounds on the full were just plain odd!

No, lack of skill.

[Mantis]

Do his 'stab' passes ever hit the intended target??... Maybe 5%.

Just needs to play within in his limitations & skill set.

[Ghost Dog]

No, lack of skill.

. One of them came right out of a pack ( City side boundary ) at 90 degrees to the line. When he takes his time, he can kick well enough.
Matty did a pretty good job and it is just going to be one of those knocks on his game forevermore I guess. Anyway, thanks for your contribution today Captain. Boyd got a pretty big slap on the back from the coach today. The North coach that is.

[MrMahatma]

Do his 'stab' passes ever hit the intended target??... Maybe 5%.

Just needs to play within in his limitations & skill set.
Yep.

By trying to get more out of his possessions and drilling passes, he ends up getting less.

[hujsh]

Do his 'stab' passes ever hit the intended target??... Maybe 5%.

Just needs to play within in his limitations & skill set.

Yeah, that one after getting a beautiful tap into space from Minson at the center clearance is a perfect example of that.

[bornadog]

Yeah, that one after getting a beautiful tap into space from Minson at the center clearance is a perfect example of that.

Lucky it paid off with Sherman able to scoop on the ball and kick a nice goal.

[Maddog37]

Dollhouse had a DE of 57% but no mention of that. Is that because he is "the new hotness"??

I have been happy to acknowledge Boyd butchering the ball in the past but yesterday he was great for four quarters, go to woh.

[LostDoggy]

What annoyed me most in the article he says Im not going to lose sleep over it..

Matthew Boyd you are the captain of our club.

If the captain isn't going to take responsibility for hitting targets why should Liam Jones practise his goal kicking, why should Clay Smith work on his field kicking?

Extremely disappointed in his response...

What he “takes responsibility” for in the media, and what he fronts up for in front of his teammates and his coach behind closed doors are two separate things.


I don't know why Libba always gets lumped into the can't kick category. He may not be a penetrating kick but he hits a target as well as anyone, puts the ball to a team mates advantage, and kicks within his limitations. He's actually someone Boyd could learn a lot from.

I think his kicking is fine, his vision and awareness is excellent and he doesn't crap his daks in congestion. He would've made a great fighter pilot.


Dollhouse had a DE of 57% but no mention of that. Is that because he is "the new hotness"??

I have been happy to acknowledge Boyd butchering the ball in the past but yesterday he was great for four quarters, go to woh.

When you get the ball 44 times…

[Sockeye Salmon]

22 ineffective disposals does not mean 22 clangers. A hard won ball with a scrappy kick forward to a contest/OOB will be ineffective, but will not necessarily be a turnover

[G-Mo77]

22 ineffective disposals does not mean 22 clangers. A hard won ball with a scrappy kick forward to a contest/OOB will be ineffective, but will not necessarily be a turnover

No he's already tarred and feathered. People just look at the stat sheet and think it's gospel. The stat sheet doesn't show what you just posted so it doesn't mean squat. :rolleyes:

I'd love to see how our team would have went yesterday if we didn't have Boyd playing. I doubt we would have had smiles on our faces.

[bornadog]

22 ineffective disposals does not mean 22 clangers. A hard won ball with a scrappy kick forward to a contest/OOB will be ineffective, but will not necessarily be a turnover

He had 10 clangers.

[azabob]

What he “takes responsibility” for in the media, and what he fronts up for in front of his teammates and his coach behind closed doors are two …

How many weeks late are you on this reply? I take it you are behind closed doors to know he is taking responsibility?

[Hotdog60]

Yeah, that one after getting a beautiful tap into space from Minson at the center clearance is a perfect example of that.

That was one example if he had drilled it perfectly Norf would have probably mark it and cleared it down field. That scrubber kick worked to our advantage.:)

[Ghost Dog]

What he “takes responsibility” for in the media, and what he fronts up for in front of his teammates and his coach behind closed doors are two separate things.



I think his kicking is fine, his vision and awareness is excellent and he doesn't crap his daks in congestion. He would've made a great fighter pilot.



When you get the ball 44 times…

Matty stuffed, baked then served up the Roos on a red white and blue platter.
Sprayed a few, true enough. Who's perfect? Everyone has something to work on!

[MrMahatma]

Unless you look at each individual stat in isolation, you'll never know, but he does miss the target a lot. Kicks that drop in front of blokes, go too high and get spoilt, miss by miles...

It's what stops him being one of the best players in the league. He's a good player. Could be great.