Kicking to a Forward vs Kicking to where they should be

[Mofra]

Very valid point was made yesterday by the Swans supporter I was watching the Bulldog game with.

Bearing in mind this was someone who was very skeptical about Akers move to the Bulldogs, he now thinks he is our most effective assist player for one very important reason.

When he delivers the ball to the forwardline, he never kicks to a forward. He spots who he wants to get the ball, and always delivers so they have to run to the drop of the ball. This makes it harder for the defender to use body on body spoiling pressure, and allows a quicker forward to get a kick away even if he is under pressure.

During our dark 3 winless weeks, we really seemed to bomb and hope. I watched Aker a little more closely yesterday after those comments, and every kick was to advantage, to a forward who had to run to the ball. It really is something all our players should try to develop, especially as we aren't blessed with contested marking types.

Has anyone else noticed this, and which other players strike you as having this sort of delivery with their F50 entries?

[ledge]

The trick is he knows where the space is so they can run onto it without getting crashed by on coming traffic, the bloke is a genius and sometimes thinks too quick for his own team mates.
For this to work though we have to look for him more often and we have to be quick, when we do that we are on song, its when we stop and go back we are stuffed.
I have seen Aker ignored a lot and dont understand why, have also seen Tiller ignored when on his own up forward.

[LostDoggy]

I'm sure this is something that Rocket wishes every player could do -- with a smallish forwardline delivery into the forward 50 is really everything, and it annoys me no end when some of our better kicking players (Murphy, Eagle and Gia, in particular) win the ball just forward of centre and then bomb it in to the forward 50 to the same spots every time.

There seems to be two or three pre-determined spots to kick to (10m in from the top of the 50, 10m from behind post on both fat and thin sides) where our forwards are supposed to go to. Problem with bombing it in at every opportunity is that they miss what Aker sees, which is a kick to advantage of what he ACTUALLY sees in front of him, instead of a pre-determined set play.

Essendon 2000/2001 were the best in recent memory at just spotting up a lead in the forward 50 -- they made it look so straightforward. Flooding makes this a bit harder, but with the Pagan's paddock style set up with our forwards sitting up the wings, there's enough space to kick to a forward's advantage, as Aker shows week after week.

[Mofra]

Fair points, I guess what makes it stand out more is he demands the forward runs to meet the ball, almost like he is directing traffic with his feet. Judd did the same thing at one point during the Freo game too.

[Stefcep]

Aker is a rare breed, he really is a superstar of the modern era, super intelligent, super-skilled in our top 3 at the club for sure. Hope he goes again next season

[hujsh]

This is something the commentators highlighted about S.Johnson's pass to Mooney in the 2nd quarter.

[BulldogBelle]

Again why our style of play and forward structure is more suited to the larger grounds

Someone like Scotty Welsh is excellent at leading into space, knowing where space is and where to lead and also skilled at marking the ball running back with the flight

[The Adelaide Connection]

A tactic we employed against St.Kilda last year when we were a zillion goals down at quarter time was to have Minson crash through the pack and effectively spoil the tall defenders and allow our small forwards to crumb goals.

Whilst employing this strategy full time is certainly undesirable it is suprising that we haven't used it at all when opposition teams defenders are on top.

[boydogs]

Definitely an asset of Akers. Its not just to ensure they can take the mark and avoid a spoil, he also does it to improve where they will be shooting for goal from in terms of angle and distance. This was very obvious in his pass to Cooney during the 3rd quarter yesterday.

You have to really trust your skills to do this, you are aiming to kick the ball to where your forward will be if he sprints and with arms outstretched for maximum effect in removing the defenders ability to spoil, in doing this if you misjudge or miscue your forward is no chance. His skills mean he does not need the same amount of space as others to spot up a target, which makes him dangerous in pressure situations.

Maybe Gilbee, Boyd and Cooney next best in this area

[The Adelaide Connection]

Definitely an asset of Akers. Its not just to ensure they can take the mark and avoid a spoil, he also does it to improve where they will be shooting for goal from in terms of angle and distance. This was very obvious in his pass to Cooney during the 3rd quarter yesterday.

You have to really trust your skills to do this, you are aiming to kick the ball to where your forward will be if he sprints and with arms outstretched for maximum effect in removing the defenders ability to spoil, in doing this if you misjudge or miscue your forward is no chance. His skills mean he does not need the same amount of space as others to spot up a target, which makes him dangerous in pressure situations.

Maybe Gilbee, Boyd and Cooney next best in this area

Spot on. The quality of delivery to the forwardline (our 50m up and unders compared to this type of pass into the Carlton forwardline) was a huge factor in the Carlton loss.

[LostDoggy]

I love it when Murphy has the ball, always plays on quickly and puts the opposition under huge pressure (and kicks to advantage).

[Mofra]

I love it when Murphy has the ball, always plays on quickly and puts the opposition under huge pressure (and kicks to advantage).
He is definately another who is great at demanding forwards lead to the fall of the ball. Probably helps that he is very good in his role as a lead up forward.

Guys with these sort of footskills combined with nouse will be able to pierce any zone defence.

[Sleeve1970]

Just on this guys, how many more season do you think AKA has in him?

[bornadog]

I love it when Murphy has the ball, always plays on quickly and puts the opposition under huge pressure (and kicks to advantage).

Still a bit rusty in picking a player but its all coming back.

[1eyedog]

Very valid point was made yesterday by the Swans supporter I was watching the Bulldog game with.

Bearing in mind this was someone who was very skeptical about Akers move to the Bulldogs, he now thinks he is our most effective assist player for one very important reason.

When he delivers the ball to the forwardline, he never kicks to a forward. He spots who he wants to get the ball, and always delivers so they have to run to the drop of the ball. This makes it harder for the defender to use body on body spoiling pressure, and allows a quicker forward to get a kick away even if he is under pressure.

During our dark 3 winless weeks, we really seemed to bomb and hope. I watched Aker a little more closely yesterday after those comments, and every kick was to advantage, to a forward who had to run to the ball. It really is something all our players should try to develop, especially as we aren't blessed with contested marking types.

Has anyone else noticed this, and which other players strike you as having this sort of delivery with their F50 entries?

Nice observation, only the very best players can do this and they often do it under pressure as well. Hird was good at it from memory. With our often small forward line kicking effectively to space is a crucial (but an uncommon) skill to have.

[LostDoggy]

Nice observation, only the very best players can do this and they often do it under pressure as well. Hird was good at it from memory. With our often small forward line kicking effectively to space is a crucial (but an uncommon) skill to have.

Notice how all the players mentioned (Aker, Hird, Murph) aren't your most physically gifted? They're no mugs, but none of them would win contests of speed or strength, yet football nous more than makes up for it... brain really trumps brawn in football when it comes to sheer effectiveness -- how many times have we seen amazing atheletes sprint themselves into trouble, or burst clear and kick aimlessly, or pick up disposals but repeatedly give away the ball, or take amazing marks but kick behinds?

Vision/football intelligence is a sorely underrated commodity on draft day.

[Desipura]

Notice how all the players mentioned (Aker, Hird, Murph) aren't your most physically gifted? They're no mugs, but none of them would win contests of speed or strength, yet football nous more than makes up for it... brain really trumps brawn in football when it comes to sheer effectiveness -- how many times have we seen amazing atheletes sprint themselves into trouble or burst clear and kick aimlessly or pick up disposals but give away the ball?

Vision and football intelligence is a sorely underrated commodity on draft day.
When Murphy was drafted he was very quick. I do not think much has changed however he is playing different role where he needs to lead long and hard as opposed to taking on his opponents when he has the ball.

[LostDoggy]

Notice how all the players mentioned (Aker, Hird, Murph) aren't your most physically gifted? They're no mugs, but none of them would win contests of speed or strength, yet football nous more than makes up for it... brain really trumps brawn in football when it comes to sheer effectiveness -- how many times have we seen amazing atheletes sprint themselves into trouble, or burst clear and kick aimlessly, or pick up disposals but repeatedly give away the ball, or take amazing marks but kick behinds?

Vision/football intelligence is a sorely underrated commodity on draft day.

Totally agree with these comments. It seems to me that these skills are something inherent in these players, and I would add D. Hawkins, and R. Flower to the list (and probably some more that I can't think of just at the moment.) The "football smarts" these players have, the balance, the footskills, the vision, etc., is something they are born with. Not saying they can't be taught, but when you watch someone like Aker, you realise they are natural skills. Even though I didn't like him much when he was at Bris Vegas, I did admire his skill :D

[LostDoggy]

Totally agree with these comments. It seems to me that these skills are something inherent in these players, and I would add D. Hawkins, and R. Flower to the list (and probably some more that I can't think of just at the moment.) The "football smarts" these players have, the balance, the footskills, the vision, etc., is something they are born with. Not saying they can't be taught, but when you watch someone like Aker, you realise they are natural skills. Even though I didn't like him much when he was at Bris Vegas, I did admire his skill :D

I don't know how you can teach someone to consistently snap 45m goals on the turn from the boundary. Kicks the easy ones too.

Aker is a freak, make no mistake.

[Mofra]

Not saying they can't be taught, but when you watch someone like Aker, you realise they are natural skills. Even though I didn't like him much when he was at Bris Vegas, I did admire his skill :D
A friend of mine asked Aker about skill vs natural talent, basically how much was arse & how much was class. Aker replied if he wanted to see how he worked harder than any other bloke on the team on his skills, he should come down to training after it had finished and watch him practice snaps from the boundary line for hours on end, every week, year after year.

I don't think Aker is as naturally talented as many think - he has just spent much more time on his skill level than your average player.

[LostDoggy]

A friend of mine asked Aker about skill vs natural talent, basically how much was arse & how much was class. Aker replied if he wanted to see how he worked harder than any other bloke on the team on his skills, he should come down to training after it had finished and watch him practice snaps from the boundary line for hours on end, every week, year after year.

I don't think Aker is as naturally talented as many think - he has just spent much more time on his skill level than your average player.

Ah, nature vs. nurture.

Of course the greats work their butts off (what was it that Tiger said? "The harder I practice, the luckier I get"). Aker is as professional as they come. But I'll bet you a million dollars that if you or I went and practiced snaps from the boundary every day for a year we still wouldn't be able to do it consistently, under pressure, over and over again in a match situation with a game on the line.

I am a part-time professional musician, and used to be a concert pianist and cellist in my younger days (freelance on mostly guitar and bass now -- much more cool these days). I often get the 'oh you're so talented; if only I had the same talent' line used on me which used to $hit me, as I think of the late nights and long practices I had to put in to get good while people think it just happens by magic.

But the reality is, there has to be a level of latent talent to work on... I can run and jump all I want, I'm never going to be able to slam dunk or kick a footy over 50m.

When all is said and done, Aker is still a freak. A very hard-working freak who's made the most of his talent. And that's what makes him great.