Goalkicking accuracy ladder: Cats lead the way while Hawks, Power and Lions struggle

Jack Ginnivan kicked 58 goals and just 30 behinds at the Pies. But his wayward start to 2024 is consistent with his new side’s poor form in front of goal. SEE THE ACCURACY LADDER HERE.

Jack Bowes celebrates a goal. Picture: Getty Images

After Geelong disembowelled Hawthorn on Easter Monday, the Hawks’ coaching staff ordered an inquisition. How could their defence give away such easy scoring shots to allow the Cats their remarkably accurate 17.4 (106) scoreline?

What they found was jaw-dropping.

Geelong had kicked four of its goals from either outside the boundary line – including Tyson Stengle’s two unerring snaps – or only metres inside it.

They had bombed snaps from 45m – Ollie Henry on his non-preferred side and Jeremy Cameron shelling peas, wheeling on to his trusty left foot.

Geelong have been deadly in front of goal in 2024. Picture: Getty Images

They had nailed set shots from around 50m, unfazed by the distance or angle, and even rolled through a Mitch Duncan bomb from inside the MCG centre square.

Case closed for Hawthorn.

Eight rounds into the AFL season, the Cats cannot miss as clubs including Port Adelaide and the Brisbane Lions cough-up games through horrific inaccuracy.

Footy is unbelievably simple and yet so complex at the same time.

Those 18 AFL game plans would spin your head with their detail and methodology and yet good kicking still win games of football.

At the Lions, Chris Fagan has seven players who are all under 50 per cent for goal accuracy, including all of his stars.

Port Adelaide just lost a Showdown kicking 5.18 and Travis Boak has seven points and no goals for the season – even if his goal-of-the-year contender on Thursday night was judged to clip the post on review.

Meanwhile, Geelong just can’t miss, with excellent techniques that work for each individual.

Gryan Miers has his quirky, round-the-corner style, Ollie Henry is all straight lines and flawless angles and Tom Hawkins works the fade. They all get the job done.

Halfback Max Holmes has kicked 5.0 with a remarkable plus-50 kick rating – he goes for ridiculously hard shots and nails them.

Stengle has kicked 12.5 (with three overall misses), Cameron has 19.10 (and five misses), Henry has 15.6 (and two misses), Hawkins 9.4 (and two misses), Brad Close 9.2 (and no misses) and Miers 7.2 (and two misses).

Brisbane has a case of the shanks – spearhead Joe Daniher has 12.15 (and three misses), Charlie Cameron 10.12 (and six misses), Lincoln McCarthy 8.9 (and two misses), Eric Hipwood 9.7 (and four misses), Cam Rayner 5.2 (and four misses), Kai Lohmann 5.2 (and two misses) and Hugh McCluggage 4.4 (and one miss).

Hawthorn has been on the wrong end of both accurate rivals and its own issues.

The Hawks are third-last for goalkicking accuracy, despite Dylan Moore kicking 12.1 and Blake Hardwick 6.1 for the season.

Jack Ginnivan kicked 0.4 against Sydney last week. Picture: Michael Klein

Jack Ginnivan has 8.8 (and five total misses) Connor MacDonald 4.5 (and two total misses), Nick Watson 2.7 (and two total misses), Jack Gunston 2.7 and Cam Mackenzie 2.4, Josh Weddle 2.4 and Luke Breust 1.3

Coach Sam Mitchell admits his side can’t put in more work so might have to consider doing the opposite after his side went at less than 50 per cent conversion against Sydney with a 5.12 return.

“I feel like we can’t train it more. We do so much goalkicking,” Mitchell said.

“We’ve put an enormous amount of work into it and the results aren’t there. So whether it’s the pressure of the game or something else, I’m not sure. It’s certainly not an area that we’re putting aside and saying it’s not something to worry about.”

Originally published as Goalkicking accuracy ladder: Cats lead the way while Hawks, Power and Lions struggle