Essendon great Matthew Lloyd says Joe Daniher needs to pay for his own goalkicking coach

MATTHEW Lloyd has urged wayward Essendon forward Joe Daniher to spend $20,000 of his own money on a private goalkicking coach.

Joe Daniher has struggled with his goalkicking. Picture: George Salpigtidis

MATTHEW Lloyd has urged wayward Essendon forward Joe Daniher to spend $20,000 of his own money on a private goalkicking coach, saying he might double his next contract if he can correct his flaws.

Lloyd worked with Daniher last season but opted not to stay involved this year due to his media commitments.

This year Daniher kicked 43.32, but Lloyd is confident he can further overcome his confidence issues in front of goal if he can get extra tuition away from the club.

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“It may not even be me, it might be someone else,” Lloyd tells Open Mike on Fox Footy.

“I had 12 months with Joe and I probably gave Joe every ounce of energy and knowledge that I could possibly give.

“I have picked up a few more things that he could possibly do differently again next year.

Joe Daniher has struggled with his kicking for goal. Picture:Wayne Ludbey

“Maybe Joe needs to put (his hand) into his own pocket and pay someone $20,000 and say, ‘Can you be my coach’, not wait for the Essendon Football Club to go and seek out a coach for him.

“It would take him from a $400,000 player to an $800,000 player in the space of 12 months.”

Lloyd said he initially identified five key flaws in Daniher’s technique last year, but he has admitted he has noted more issues over the past season.

“The one thing I couldn’t quite nail was his ball drop, his hand flops out,” he said.

“We trialled a number of different things.”

He could not continue in the role with Daniher because he felt conflicted with his media commitments — especially when he had to pass assessment on his former teammate James Hird as a coach — and because he felt the focus was on him, rather than the player.

“I see goalkicking as a real area that they (clubs) don’t coach properly, so I had different ideas of how I would coach, with fatigue and putting players under pressure,” he said.

“When I was broadcasting Daniher and Essendon, the cameras were panning on me and my heart was beating in my chest with every kick he was having.

“If he missed one, you’d be half embarrassed because I took responsibility, and my problem was James Hird was under siege.”

Joe Daniher works with Matthew Lloyd. Picture: Michael Klein

Lloyd also spoke of his own battle to overcome inaccuracy early in his career, including an early Anzac Day game when his then coach Kevin Sheedy ordered him to stay out on the field at halftime to practice his goalkicking.

He also spoke in depth about the fallout following his clash with Brad Sewell in his final game in 2009, as well as his fears the situation could have got out of control after the game, especially when Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson verbally challenged him.

And he detailed his differences with Matthew Knights when he was coach of Essendon, and how he now appreciates Kevin Sheedy more than when he was playing underneath him.

LLOYD ON HIRD

James Hird’s greatest failing as a coach was that he put too much faith in individuals without being across everything himself, according to his former teammate Matthew Lloyd.

Lloyd admitted he hadn’t spoken to Hird since last year.

While he said Hird had to take responsibility for Essendon’s controversial sports supplements program undertaken during his time as coach, Lloyd was adamant the former coach would never have intentionally put his players at risk.

“He has to taken full responsibility for that program as the senior coach,” Lloyd said. “James’ biggest failing is that he put too much responsibility as a young coach who didn’t have a lot of experience in other people.

Matthew Lloyd hasn’t spoken to James Hird since 2015. Picture: Getty Images

“They just did not do their due diligence on Stephen Dank. I just think (as) the senior coach you have to across every detail and James obviously wasn’t, and he has paid a price. But to say he was looking to cheat and harm players, I won’t cop that because he is too good a person.”

Lloyd said he and Hird had a unique connection on the field, but even during their playing days didn’t mix much socially and had different interests and passions.

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“I wouldn’t have had a better rapport with a player on the field than what I did with James,” he said. “We roomed together on every footy trip and we got on great.

“But James was doing a stockbroking degree, he had a marketing business. I didn’t hang out with James like I hung out with the other players outside of footy. We have a good relationship, we just don’t call each other. (But) when we bump into each other, we get on well.”

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