Has there ever been a more inaccurate team?

[leighsaintsince66]

I have probably played in or seen close to 1,000 games of footy over the years.
This includes decades of playing or watching junior footy at all levels, as well as teams in many senior competitions both country and metro.

As a member or supporter I've seen St Kilda several hundred times dating back to the 1960's.

I cannot remember any other side junior or senior, that has kicked 45 goals 78 behinds over the space of six rounds (Round 2-7, 2018).
And miss completely on numerous occasions. This is the plight of the St Kilda FC, 2018 version.

Perhaps I have memory loss related to early onset dementia. Or maybe a dose of PTSD like symptoms?

In this context I stand to be corrected!

[StPeter]

And don't forget this follows-on from last year's accuracy woes!

[Sainternist]

You're right on the money, Leigh. It is absolutely dire right now. You would think the players are lacing up their boots on the wrong feet before the match. No doubt, you would see more accurate kicking for goal at just about any other level.

[leighsaintsince66]

Hey Sainternist. A bit of trivia...I can remember one man who laced up his boots on the correct feet.

In the same year that Nicky Winmar raised his jumper in front of the Victoria Park mob, another fellow managed to bag 53 goals 12 behinds (in 10 games though).

His name: Tony Lockett.

[Enrico_Misso]

A team from Vision Australia would hit more targets than us!

[leighsaintsince66]

Vision Australia do hit a lot of targets.

VA could in fact be a worthwhile partner !

[Beno88]

Here’s some ugly reading…

St Kilda’s accuracy for 2018 so far is 40.66%.

The worst goal kicking accuracy ever is South Melbourne in 1900 with 32.38%, in the post war era (after 1945) is Carlton in 1958 with 38.93%.

St Kilda’s worst ever is 32.52% in 1899, post war it’s 40.21% in 1955.

But take into consideration the grounds and conditions most matches were played in back then. To be fair, let’s look at the AFL era, 1990 onwards.

The worst accuracy across a season since 1990

1. Essendon – 2016 – 45.77%
2. Gold Coast – 2011 – 46.12%
3. Richmond – 1993 – 46.40%

So we are currently on track for the worst accuracy in the AFL era and only narrowly ahead of our worst post war effort.

As for the teams above, all three finished last or second last in those seasons. Essendon were fielding a reserves side after drug related suspensions, and Gold Coast were in their inaugural season.

The three of them averaged 9.09, 9.73 and 12.25 goals per game. We’re averaging 8.71.

Furthermore, no team in the AFL era has gone back to back seasons with an accuracy of under 50%. Therefore every team has improved after a more-points-than-goals season. Except to this point St Kilda of 2018, after 47.54% last year.

*Western Bulldogs are at 43% this year after 47% last year.

Amazing to think that back in 2004 St Kilda had the best goal kicking accuracy of all time, 61.78%.

[degruch]

Amazing stats, makes for very sad reading. I remember laughing at those woeful 1990's Richmond teams, their disposal was so terrible the opposition would literally stand around them when the Tigers had possession and wait for them to cough it. You could let them kick it to their forwards knowing they were a less than 50% chance of doing any damage...I was just thinking how similar we are now, watching us handball around in a circle whilst the Demon's players practically stood and watched.

[Enrico_Misso]

Thanks Beno.
Horrible stats but great research.
Confirms what we all suspected.

[Scollop]

Who are the main culprits? The first thing I'd do if I was coach/committee is identify and get rid of the worst offenders (not totally, just give them a spell at Sandringham). I was calling for Billings to be dropped 3-4 weeks ago, just as others were (congorra has posted the stats and his conversion countless times) so why isn't it simple and obvious to the coaches? Why do they persist with something that is clearly not right?

Send them back to the twos to gain confidence and to prove they are worthy of a recall. When the main culprits are gone, the positive goal kicking may become contagious just as the bad kicking seemed to be.

It is easy to identify but harder to fix, I know, so then you would also assist the players and do whatever you can, but some hard love is needed right now.

[st.byron]

Who are the main culprits? The first thing I'd do if I was coach/committee is identify and get rid of the worst offenders (not totally, just give them a spell at Sandringham). I was calling for Billings to be dropped 3-4 weeks ago, just as others were (congorra has posted the stats and his conversion countless times) so why isn't it simple and obvious to the coaches? Why do they persist with something that is clearly not right?

Send them back to the twos to gain confidence and to prove they are worthy of a recall. When the main culprits are gone, the positive goal kicking may become contagious just as the bad kicking seemed to be.

It is easy to identify but harder to fix, I know, so then you would also assist the players and do whatever you can, but some hard love is needed right now.

It’s a mental thing. And it’s a mental thing across the whole team. Dropping one or two in an attempt to fix the goal kicking would be a band aid on the symptom rather than addressing the cause.

[st.byron]

Who are the main culprits? The first thing I'd do if I was coach/committee is identify and get rid of the worst offenders (not totally, just give them a spell at Sandringham). I was calling for Billings to be dropped 3-4 weeks ago, just as others were (congorra has posted the stats and his conversion countless times) so why isn't it simple and obvious to the coaches? Why do they persist with something that is clearly not right?

Send them back to the twos to gain confidence and to prove they are worthy of a recall. When the main culprits are gone, the positive goal kicking may become contagious just as the bad kicking seemed to be.

It is easy to identify but harder to fix, I know, so then you would also assist the players and do whatever you can, but some hard love is needed right now.

It’s a mental thing. And it’s a mental thing across the whole team. Dropping one or two in an attempt to fix the goal kicking would be a band aid on the symptom rather than addressing the cause.

[Jacks Back]

I wonder if they're doing it on purpose to get rid of Mr Vanilla Sky. An AFL footballer cannot kick for goal that badly.

[stkfc1]

I wonder if they're doing it on purpose to get rid of Mr Vanilla Sky. An AFL footballer cannot kick for goal that badly.

Been thinking the same thing. It's a quick way to do it.

[resaintlee]

There is an article on the Saints site about Jason Heatley's daughter at the Club. Perhaps they might get her to ask her dad to replace Dixon?

[Enrico_Misso]

There is an article on the Saints site about Jason Heatley's daughter at the Club. Perhaps they might get her to ask her dad to replace Dixon?

The Heater was an absolute deadeye.
One of the best kicks EVER!

His only problem was getting the ball.
Was disappointed when Blighter let him go.
A smart coach would have built a game plan around giving him space to mark on his chest and kick goals.