too many left footers?

Ed from WA · Joined: 08 Aug 2002 Location: northam WA

I dont think there is a forum about left footers so i will put it in here.

I have a worry that with 6 one sided players now on our list we will become too predictable.
daks,lonie,taz,woey,lika and cole all cannot kick on the right foot.
daks was great on sunday but he still got unloaded a few times when turning onto his left,as does taz every week.
other coaches are not stupid and all players will be aware which way these 6 will turn.

i just think its too many,but they are all great players,although for me Taz is a worry with his wasteful kicking.

Joel · Joined: 23 Mar 1999 Location: Mornington Peninsula

Ed! Come one mate, no harsh feelings. The topic as been left open. There is discussion currently taking place in regards to Match Reports and the Match Forum.

Anyway, back to topic. You can say we have too many left footers but what about one sided right footers. Just about all the players in the AFL need to learn to kick with the opposite foot. They should have been taught as youngsters (who is coaching these kids at junior levels?). There are a hell of alot more right footers out there than left footers, so how predictable are the right footers?

JDF

"We've never quit, and we won't."

[This message has been edited by Joel (edited 24 February 2003).]

stik35 · Joined: 22 May 2001 Location: VIC

Lighten up Ed! Don't be so touchy - we love your match reports.

I don't really think the left footers should pose too much of a problem because most players seem to kick with their right foot and that never seemed to cause too many problems.
Unless you have a player who can genuinely kick with either foot, the opposition will always work out which foot each player kicks with if you know what I mean

If you bleed black and white you'll never walk alone.

Ed from WA · Joined: 08 Aug 2002 Location: northam WA

Look sarcasm up in the dictionary,its doesnt mean touchy.
maybe im worried about nothing,it just seems to be left footers that get dragged down more often.
.

AB35 · Joined: 07 Feb 2003 Location: Melb, Vic, Aus

I'd rather have these six one sided players (who regularly win the ball), as opposed to say, another six strictly right footers who win it on the odd occassion.

Brown26 · Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2003 9:59 am

I agree Ed, not in that six lefties is too much, but that players can't kick with either foot. It's terrible - Didak kicked a great goal over his left shoulder last weekend, but it should've been an easy right foot goal, instead of a hard left foot one. they're great players, imagin how good they would be if (when) they can kick with both feet.

- Ben

Pies for Premiers 2002, 3, 4, 5, 6....

MargOZ · Joined: 08 May 2001 Location: Vic, Australia

I think any player who can only kick on one side of their body has the possibility of being caught if they're constantly trying to switch to their preferred foot. And I guess the catch is teaching kids at a young age to kick on both sides - as I imagine it doesn't get any easier to learn as players get older and get more set in their ways (like most things in life!).

I certainly admire players who can kick well on both sides. Anything I try to do left handed (or footed!) is a COMPLETE nightmare! I'd be happy if my left foot even just connected with the footy, let alone actually have the ball go in ANY direction!!!

GO PIES!
Marg

Fradam · Joined: 21 Jun 1999 Location: Bendigo, Victoria

This is going to sound totally stupid but it's true. Left footers need to be taught to kick on their opposite side much more than right footers as juniors.

As a left footer I got the ball and the tackler almost almost seems to go to my right side assuming I'm s right footer and it's so easy to kick on the left side. It's not often you get trapped playing junior footy.

That's where the problem is.

I don't believe however that you can have too many left footers in a side. If they're good enough to play it doesn't matter what foot they kick with.

Fradam Wrote This

MagpieMad · Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2003 3:47 pm

I don't think it matters if your a lefty or a righty but you would think playing at the afl level you could kick with either.

MagpieMad
http://magpiemad.magpies.net/

Culprit · Joined: 06 Feb 2003 Location: Port Melbourne

They same about having to many left handed batsmen, Doesn't seem to be a concern for our current Aussie Cricket team.

Many of the left footers you mentioned have good evasive skills. I think it comes back to team balance.

funkster05 · Joined: 06 Feb 2003 Location: Melbourne, Victoria

Dids certainly should have kicked that goal at the Coventry end on his right running in instead of having to get onto his left.

I think the point some people are trying to make here is that Dids wasn't punished because he was playing against a defence that boasted Luke Livingston, Simon Wiggins and Jonathan McCormick.

Against your good defenders (e.g. Chris Johnson, Gavin Wanganeen, Ben Hart etc) you probably won't get that second chance.

Nonetheless, I'm sure the coaching committee noticed it and I'm sure it will be addressed. Apart from all that he played a fantastic game.