The damning numbers that show how Port Adelaide is shooting itself in the foot
CHAD Wingard says Port Adelaide ‘can’t pinpoint’ why it is such a bad kicking team. But the numbers don’t paint a pretty picture.
Andrew Capel
Don't miss out on the headlines from Andrew Capel. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Wingard: I’ve got no excuses
- Time to get serious, Chad
- Training injury ruins ruckman’s season
- Can Power’s no-names tame Tigers’ small army
CHAD Wingard says Port Adelaide “can’t pinpoint’’ why it is such a bad kicking team.
“We’re not the most elite kicking side but we’re not sure why,’’ the dual All-Australian said.
“A few boys are a bit down on their kicking, but we’re still working on it.
“The stats don’t lie. It’s something we can’t drastically improve overnight.”
After an off-season where it recruited highly-skilled players, including elite kick Jack Watts from Melbourne and Steven Motlop from Geelong, and spent countless hours at training trying to improve its kicking, the Power has, surprisingly, gone backwards this year.
Bad kicking cost it last year’s elimination final against West Coast when it booted 10.16 to the Eagles’ 12.6 to lose by two points following an after-the-siren, extra-time goal to Luke Shuey.
Port’s horror night in front of the sticks followed a wayward season in which it had a poor kick rating of -1.1 per cent — ranked 16th in the competition.
This season, the Power, which plays premier Richmond in a mid-season blockbuster at Adelaide Oval on Friday night, has plummeted to 17th with a -2.1 per cent kick rating.
Only struggling Gold Coast (-4.8 per cent), which has lost five consecutive games, is below it on the kicking table.
High-flying Melbourne has the best kick rating of +2.6 per cent.
Port’s inability to hit targets is again costing it matches, with last Saturday’s three-point loss to Hawthorn in Tasmania a classic example of its ineptitude by foot.
Of the Hawks’ 9.10, 8.6 began with an intercept possession.
Damningly, Port, which sits eighth with a 6-4 win-loss record, ranks rock-bottom in kick rating from rebound 50s, 17th in field kicking, 15th going inside 50 and 11th in shots at goal.
Its biggest crash from last year is rebounding from defence.
Last season it ranked 10th in this category, allowing it better transition from defensive 50 to inside 50.
The absence of playmaking backman Hamish Hartlett, who is one of Port’s best kicks, since round five following a knee reconstruction has clearly hurt Ken Hinkley’s side.
Hinkley last year blamed the Power's kicking for its failure to finish higher than seventh when it controlled a lot of games but couldn’t deliver the knockout blow.
“It was our problem for large parts of the year,’’ he said.
Port’s kicking woes have been brutally exposed in Champion Data’s latest kick ratings that paint a better picture of a player’s kicking skills than pure efficiency numbers.
“Kicking efficiency doesn’t take into account the degree of difficulty of the kick. Kick rating does,’’ Champion Data AFL analyst Daniel Hoyne said.
“If you're under physical pressure and you’re trying to kick long to a guy on the lead, your expected hit rate might be 38 per cent.
“If you hit that kick, you’re a +62 per cent. If you miss that kick, you're -38 per cent.’’
All player numbers are compared to the AFL average.
Key forward Charlie Dixon (-16.1 per cent), former Lion Tom Rockliff (-14.2) and Wingard (-7.6) are the Power’s worst general kicks this season.
When it comes to goalkicking, man mountain Dixon, who has booted 7.13, is in a league of his own.
His shot at goal rating of -20.4 per cent is the worst in the competition by a long way — seven per cent more inaccurate than the next-ranked player, wayward Essendon forward Joe Daniher.
Wingard — once considered a sharpshooter — ranks equal-sixth worst in front of the sticks with a -8.3 per cent kick rating. He has kicked 11.15.
Asked why kicking had been such a weakness for the Power, Wingard replied: “We can't pinpoint it but it could be a bit of personnel.
“Some people draft kickers and it might be (because of) our (game) style.
“I’m missing some kicks this year, ones that I should be hitting. It might be a bit of confidence but I’m reviewing it and working on it.”
Port’s season could depend on it.
andrew.capel@news.com.au
Watch every match of every round of the 2018 Toyota AFL Premiership Season. SIGN UP NOW >
Capel: SA footy’s new heavyweight showdown hasn’t come easy
They might be some of the most decorated names in recent SANFL history but they’ve both taken the hard road to the grand final, writes Andrew Capel.
Star’s selfless reaction to emotional Magarey stunner
He broke the SANFL’s Magarey Medal ruck curse but Norwood’s Harry Boyd didn’t want a single vote in the final round of the count. Andrew Capel reveals why.