Australian football’s dilemma with the ‘look of the game’ can be answered with better kicking skills more so than new rules

AFL players who can kick accurately are worth their weight in gold — and clubs should put a greater focus on developing this skill to save the game from its congestion problem

• Blight to take SANFL data to roundtable
• Legends called on to save game’s image

CHANGE the rules, introduce “zones” or starting positions and even contemplate 16-a-side rather than 18. But — for the love of the game — deal with the biggest issue in Australian football first.

Kicking. Have the AFL skills coaches been completely muted? Are the AFL recruiting scouts taking their focus off pure footballers to draft athletes who can run from contest to congested contest … or use their speed to break into space — only to turnover the ball with a bad kick?

Greater Western Sydney midfielder Stephen Coniglio was exceptional in his desire to find the ball — and shape the contest — in the Sunday twilight clash with the Crows at Adelaide Oval. Coniglio lit up the statistic sheets with a game-high 11 touches in the first term. But his kicking efficiency was at a disappointing 14 per cent.

Carlton skipper Marc Murphy and Zac Fisher kicking for goal at training. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

Stephen Coniglio racked up the possessions against Adelaide but his kicking efficiency was at a disappointing 14 per cent. Picture Sarah Reed

The more powerful AFL “think tank” — the one including Hall of Fame Legends Malcolm Blight and Leigh Matthews — will meet on Thursday to give new league football boss Steven Hocking new themes for Australian football.

Blight is keen on “starting positions” — six in defence, six in the midfield, six in attack — at the centre-bounce restarts. This will certainly increase the chance of opening up the game.

But what if the kick from the centre clearance is poor to create a stoppage that has congestion?

Blight’s interest in the “last touch” rule to the boundary in the SANFL has greater merit. This theme in the SA State league appropriately punishes players who fail — by their poor kicking — to keep the ball in play. The boundary line is a not a “friend” to those players kicking from the defensive half of the field — and the reduction of boundary throw-ins has made for better SANFL game.

But when will the professional, full-time AFL game deal with the fans’ massive frustration in the “look of the game”: The failings in such a basic skill, a fundamental skill — kicking.

The adage that “if you can’t kick, you can’t play” has more relevance than ever. And in an era when the AFL coaches have crafted their playbooks to have more and more uncontested football in space, there should be less pressure — perceived or real — when taking a kick.

Port Adelaide has for some time carried the tag of a team failing with “kicking efficiency”. The price of this ailment was clear at Launceston on Saturday when the Power players betrayed their hard work to win the first touch at the contest by turning over the ball on the second movement.

Getting the ball is clearly only half the battle at Alberton.

How long before an AFL club deals with this curse by hiring dedicated kicking coaches — and giving them power to command the training schedule for meaningful skills sessions at training? In the AFL’s copycat world, the inevitable “follow the leader” theme on this development would help the game far more than zones, starting positions or 16 on the field.

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