St Kilda’s now the worst team in AFL for goalkicking accuracy after Fremantle horror show
THOU shalt be accurate in front of goal. St Kilda is now the worst team at kicking for goal and the worst for set shots after another horror show against Fremantle.
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SOME things in football defy logic.
It won’t surprise many Saints fans to be told Jack Billings is the worst kick at goal in footy.
But how can Tim Membrey be the most accurate by a country mile in 2017, then come up with this year’s horror show?
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As Saints coach Alan Richardson said after Saturday night’s loss to Fremantle, the continued set shot butchery cannot be anything but deflating.
Membrey’s 1.5 — including missing a handful of sitters — killed St Kilda’s momentum as it was charging hard at Fremantle.
A player who was clearly 2017’s best set shot is now the fifth worst in the competition, with Billings the worst and Patrick McCartin the ninth-worst.
It is inexplicable, especially given goalkicking coach Ben Dixon put over 2000 shots into his forwards over the summer.
St Kilda is now the worst team at kicking for goal and the worst for set shots, dropping below the Western Bulldogs over the weekend.
What could have been a fighting win over Fremantle after a horror start and Jake Carlisle’s concussion turned into the one that got away.
“Tim’s historically for us been as good a kick as we have had,” Richardson said after the 30-point loss.
“He’s having some issues with his set shots, there’s no doubt about that.
“He’s an outstanding contest players, Tim, he’s work through this. He’s hurting, we’re hurting.
“They are opportunities he’d normally nail. No one works hard on their skill, his marking and kicking and leading. He’s a real pro so that will turn.
Membrey has had 20 shots at goal so far this year, on last year’s accuracy rating (38.14 for the year) enough to have him at around 50 goals.
Instead he has 6.12 and two misses altogether, his set shot kicking returning 5.9 and two misses.
Billings is the competition’s worst with 4.12 and two misses from 16 shots, including 2.4 and one miss from seven set shots.
Overall St Kilda has kicked just 69 goals from its 179 shots, going at 69.85 plus 25 misses.
The Saints take on Collingwood on Saturday night, aware their finals chances are slipping away.
Unfortunately for Richardson, there isn’t much he can do on that front other than attempt to lessen the pressure on his players.
“Sometimes I worry that I get the guys in a state that they care too much about outcome and result,” Richardson said.
“Not that I ever talk about that you’ve got to kick the goal but you know, the opportunity from the game perspective. The season’s not gone the way we want in terms of win-loss, that’s obvious.
“Am I getting a bit anxious when they are at that moment when they’ve got to nail their routine, they’ve got real clarity on what works for them?
“We continue to look at that, we’ve got a really strong program in place and the guys are working through and we are confident that will turn.
“Most clubs that I have been involved with and other clubs that I haven’t been involved with have periods where they don’t nail their opportunities.
“So we’ll turn that around.”
Patrick McCartin is expected to miss another week with concussion but could return the week after, while Jake Carlisle will be monitored for a bad concussion.
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