From Josh Kennedy’s stutter, to Ben Brown’s ball raise, to the game-changing “Stevie J”, some of the AFL’s best goalkickers explain their techniques. agerealfooty
Josh Kennedy stutters. Ben Brown raises the ball in front of his face like the Lion King presenting his cub to the world, goes back as far as a fast bowler and runs dead straight at the goals. A rule was relaxed to allow for Lance Franklin’s “natural arc”. Jack Riewoldt needs to line up the goals with his left eye. And Steve Johnson pioneered the “Stevie J”, the set shot kicked around his body now practised by footballers from the AFL to under 12s.
He looks to the ground. He looks up again and refocuses on a person in the crowd. He jogs until he finds a rhythm, relaxes and feels comfortable. “I knew going into the game I was going to do it if there was a set shot. At the time you knew you open yourself up to criticism. I knew I would be accused of lairising and being self-indulgent but for me, it was the percentage play, I knew it would give me the best chance to kick it,” Johnson told“Everyone knows I was a risk-taker with ball in hand. I wasn’t afraid to take a kick through the middle of the ground and if I missed it, it didn’t mean I would go into my shell.
For Johnson, the difference was this type of shot had no stigma. It was, in fact, a bit cool and inventive. He measures a spot six metres back from the person on the mark and knows that is exactly where he is going to make contact.
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