2020’s best and worst shots at goal

Hawkins, Kennedy lead the pack while Bulldog pups struggle in front of goal.

Published by
Mitch Keating

The rollercoaster season that is 2020 has taken twists and turns to accommodate footy fans across the country.

While fans are delighted to have our game in nearly-full flight, the inaccuracies in front of goal have managed to remain as a constant frustration for those looking-on.

With star names either stepping up to the occasion or failing to impress, many big name players have been put under the blowtorch in 2020, with none more-criticsed than Geelong star Patrick Dangerfield.

Across 22 shots at goal, Dangerfield has kicked truly just six times, with 12 behinds and four shots failing to impact the scoreboard.

While many are quick to criticise the Brownlow medalists shooting form, ex-Hawthorn forward Ben Dixon has identified a major flaw in Dangerfield's set-shot routine, per The Herald Sun.

Dixon - responsible for transforming St Kilda's goal-kicking woes - believes that one adjustment would turn the pairing of Dangerfield and Tom Hawkins into arguably the league's most dangerous forward line.

“He is such a powerful individual. In fact he’s all power, but he isn’t generating enough speed in his run-up,” Dixon said of Dangerfield.

“To give you an analogy he’s 200m from the green and he needs to bust a four-iron but he’s trying to ease a three-iron. So he’s trying to ease it through and his left comes across his body and he pulls those shots left.

“If he had more speed his first action is his body leans over more, he decreases the size of the ball drop and he lessens the margin for error.

“I would say there is a bit of inconsistency in his approach and if you talk to guys like Jason Dunstall, him and Lockett were the greats and they never changed their routines in 20 years.

“It’s a super-easy fix. He is only taking six steps and they aren’t quick so start with a slow build and then build more pace and that would keep him straight.”

While Dangerfield's numbers in front of goal have marginally hindered the Cats, Hawkins and Gryan Miers have made up for the inaccuracies.

Hawkins has booted 30.15 this season, with his past five matches reading 19.5, while Miers scored his first behind of the season on the weekend, registering 11.1 for the year.

Josh Bruce and Mitch Wallis have been accountable for their goal-kicking, while ruckman Tim English and star pup Bailey Smith have struggled to impress.

Brisbane's midfield force has struggle to keep it clean in their forward third, with Dayne Zorko and Hugh McCluggage in the league's most inaccurate.

Best best set shot goalkickers

Tom Hawkins (Geel) 30.15 (5 total misses)

Josh Kennedy (West Coast) 27.14 (5 total misses)

Dan Butler (St Kilda) 22.8 (4 total misses)

Matt Taberner (Fremantle) 21.8 (4 total misses)

Jeremy Cameron (GWS) 18.9 (2 total misses)

Max King (St Kilda) 18.8 (4 total misses)

Mitch Wallis (Western Bulldogs) 16.8 (1 total miss)

Levi Casboult (Carlton) 14.5 (8 total misses)

Harry Himmelberg (GWS) 13.2 (1 total miss)

Josh Bruce (Western Bulldogs) 12.4 (7 total misses)

Gryan Myers (Geelong) 11.1 (5 total misses)

Lachie Weller (Gold Coast) 10.2 (4 total misses)

Most inaccurate shooters

Izak Rankine (Gold Coast) 9.12 (2 total misses)

Jordan de Goey (Collingwood) 7.9 (2 total misses)

Aaron Hall (North Melbourne) 7.11 (2 total misses)

Dayne Zorko (Brisbane) 6.10 (7 total misses)

Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong) 6.12 (4 total misses)

Nick Blakey (Sydney) 6.10 (1 total miss)

Hugh McCluggage (Brisbane) 5.13 (4 total misses)

Tim English (Western Bulldogs) 3.10 (No total misses)

Bailey Smith (Western Bulldogs) 3.7 (1 total miss)

Jacob Hopper (GWS) 1.5 (0 total misse)

Brent Daniels (GWS) 0.6 (1 total miss)

Ned McHenry (Adelaide) 0.4 (2 total misses)

 

 

Published by
Mitch Keating