Jack Billings says goalkicking yips ‘not something I stress about’

AN ELITE finisher throughout his junior career, Jack Billings doesn’t have an explanation for his goalkicking hips this year. But the rising St Kilda star has a plan to fix them.

Jack Billings has improved in every area this season — except kicking for goal.

“I KNEW this was going to come up.”

Jack Billings sat back in the theatrette at St Kilda’s Seaford headquarters nursing a large coffee.

Billings doesn’t really drink coffee. But he’s never really missed shots at goal, either.

ROD WHO? GRANT THOMAS DISOWNS BUTTERSS

So when the question eventually arose concerning the one blot on an otherwise blossoming season, the Saints forward didn’t need the anticipation he oozes on the field.

“I came to the club with that being one of my strengths, but goalkicking isn’t really something you review after a game,” Billings said.

“A lot of stuff internally is more about effort and the way you’re playing. You can just sort of forget about it.”

Jack Billings has improved in every area this year — except kicking for goal.

An elite finisher throughout in his junior years, Billings, 22, has kicked 47 goals and 65 behinds in 62 AFL games and returned 20.32 in a 2017 season that has been a shocker for the Saints in front of the big sticks.

The wound that is falling agonisingly short of a first finals appearance in six years has been salted by the missed opportunities — the Saints have kicked more behinds than goals in a league-high 12 games this season.

“With how much we have in our program, I’ve had to try and map out where I can have extra shots,” Billings said.

“I could easily have 50-100 shots outside, but you wouldn’t tell the fitness guy.

“In a game you’re so buggered when you’re having a shot for goal, so it’s about trying to emulate those situations as best you can. At training, in-between or after drills, I’ve started to have two set shots while I’m tired.

“My field kicking has been really strong. It’s funny because in general play the target is smaller, but you see it and go. When you get in front of four posts it changes for some reason and maybe down the track there might be someone who can solve it.

“But I think I’m a good kick, so it’s not something I really stress about. I’m going to keep taking the shots and hopefully it turns around.”

Billings is a fiercely-driven young man always searching for answers. For a way forward. For improvement.

With each game, the football world is getting a better look at a player whose skill, poise and finishing make him central to St Kilda’s regeneration, but his career-high numbers this year are the result of learning to bide his time.

A stress fracture ruined 2015 and other niggles (ankle, hamstring) have pot-holed his three other seasons. All this while others in his draft class of 2013 — Josh Kelly, Marcus Bontempelli, and best mate Luke McDonald — played more games, played finals and even won premierships.

Jack Billings was an elite kick for goal at junior level.

Jack Billings celebrates after kicking the winning goal against West Coast.

“What I’ve realised is that every player is different and every journey is unique and I think I’ve had to be a bit more patient,” Billings said.

“I’ve had some issues with my body in my first few years and this year I’ve been injury-free, touch wood. It goes back to having a full pre-season and I’m really excited about the future. Hopefully I’ll keep improving and who knows?

“But this is my fourth year and I haven’t played in a final yet. Finals is why you play and I can’t wait to get there and hopefully play a part in St Kilda winning their second premiership.”

On the other side of the coin are his less fortunate teammates — injury-plagued pair Nathan Freeman and Hugh Goddard.

“I just look at them and go, ‘Gee, they’ve had such bad luck. How can they get any continuity in their footy?’. That was the biggest thing for me because you go from being a main guy in under-18s to a baby at the club.

“You’ve just got to keep chipping away. The setbacks delay your development and I was crying out for a bit of continuity.

“Some things you can’t control, but what you can control is how hard you train, how professional you are and how you look after your body.”

Jack Billings copped a serious shiner against Melbourne. Picture: Michael Klein

But he was all smiles during the week.

Billings this week signed a two-year contract extension that was a matter of when, not if, and said he’s also like to see one of his mates, the in-demand Giant Kelly, sign for the Saints, too.

“He’s got a tough decision to make,” Billings said. “It’s hard because you’re potentially going to have success at the Giants for a few years and you’re comfortable in the environment, but obviously he’s a Melbourne boy and there’s the money and stuff like that.

“He’s really good mates with (Saint) Jack Steele and he speaks to him more than me because they lived together last year. But he’ll make that call and we’ll wait and see.”

Billings will spend part of his off-season in the US, visiting old school mates, then it’s back to work.

A forward-mid in his time at the top level, the left-footer plans on becoming more mid-forward.

“Hopefully I’m playing a bigger midfield role next year,” he said.

“We’ve got a strong midfield, obviously, but I definitely want to put my hand up and add to that group and hopefully improve in that area. I guess the way high half-forwards play I feel like a midfielder a bit anyway, because it’s so up and back with the way the game’s played.

“I think I’ll also potentially look at changing a few things up with my training and I’ve got a few ideas. I like to keep things fresh.”