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Goal kicking

Cooper

Juniors
Messages
4
Hey guys, being a relatively new RL fan, I've noticed that 99% of NRL goal kickers use the same technique, that being the ball angled and then they strike the very bottom of the ball. I'm wondering why I'm yet to see anyone use the same style as the better Union kickers such as Carter and Wilkinson, with the ball virtually upright and striking the ball a third of the way up. That was the way I was taught to kick. And having tried both techniques, I've found you can kick the ball about 10m further using the latter.


Also, do most league kickers use the side of the foot to kick, or the instep?
 

Mr Saab

Referee
Messages
27,762
The union ball is shaped differently to the league ball.
It does make a difference
 

*Paul*

Juniors
Messages
2,151
It wasn't until the early 80's that round the corner kickers started to exert their influence in the game. There'd been a few before, e.g John Gray, but most were toe-pokers.

Those kickers, Ross Conlon in particular, were upright types, in my recollection, it was Daryl Halligan and Matthew Ridge who started the angle away style.
 

PARANoIR

Bench
Messages
3,085
Exactly, the different pills make the difference.

You can kick a union ball further than a league ball.
 

Cooper

Juniors
Messages
4
Leagueguy said:
Question for Cooper, is anyone in union drop kicking the ball like lockyer is at the moment?
Jannie De Beer? :D

Yeah the different shaped balls would play a part, but there a quite a lot of union kickers who use the League kicking style like Mortlock, Hewat, Flatley etc. But I better not talk about Union any more or Ill get banned :D

If there are any kickers amongst us, I'm interested to hear what part of the foot you use to strike the ball. I'm a sidefooter.
 

Angry_eel

First Grade
Messages
8,652
Cooper said:
Jannie De Beer? :D

Yeah the different shaped balls would play a part, but there a quite a lot of union kickers who use the League kicking style like Mortlock, Hewat, Flatley etc. But I better not talk about Union any more or Ill get banned :D

If there are any kickers amongst us, I'm interested to hear what part of the foot you use to strike the ball. I'm a sidefooter.
There is a different section for Union. talk as much in there you want.
 

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