Gilbert needs to learn how to kick

[joffaboy]

Both on his left foot and his non preferred.

For the past three weeks his disposal has been appalling. Last night he was forced to hurriedly kick on his left, missed his target by a mile, straight on to the chest of a Bulldog player and Griffen scores a goal.

Apart from that he is shanking it,, kicking it out on tlke full and generally putting the other backmen under pressure.

The opposition has worked him out. He gets forced onto his right foot because he, just like Jones cant use it for s.hit. This forces disposals and causes turnovers or shanks.

Gilbert is a good player, and cant read a game very well, has a good sidesteep, but can bounce it for s.hit either and when he does, it is way out in front of him, causing him to lose stride, and put off the timing of the leads up the ground.

He is being found out and needs to really work on his disposal and right foot kicking to be classed as elite.

[PJ]

He also seems to have lost a bit of confidence of late.

[iwantmeseats]

Im a left footer, and as a kid it caused me immense trouble as I could not use my right at ALL. I can only imagine how this hurts Gilbert at AFL level.

[True Blue Sainter]

Practice, practice, and more practice. Especially on the right side (under a bit of pressure as well)

I'll give an example. In the NBA, Tim Duncan (from the Spurs) is a terrible free-throw shooter, which is particularly crucial because he gets to the free-throw line a lot. Every day before practice/training, he shoots at least 100 FT's, to try and improve his accuracy, and in general, it's slowly improving.

Gilbo should be able to do the same! Remember, he does come from a rugby background (I think he took footy up when he was 16), so it's not something which comes especially natural to him!

[BallBanger]

gilbert and jones should be dropped can't kick on their right foot...
James herd could not kick on his left foot thats why he was no good

[Bernard Shakey]

He also seems to have lost a bit of confidence of late.

He hasn't lost any confidence, but his disposal by hand and foot is below par.

[n1ck]

TD is slowly improving, TBS? He'd want to hurry up, im not sure the old bugger has too many seasons left in him!

[saintnick12]

Gilbert had a couple of shocking turnovers last night. One in particular caused a goal after he picked out a dogs defender and kicked it straight to him. Had a similar one last week which also cost us a goal.
Stands out more in these low scoring games.
I'm a big fan of Gilbert but the quality of his disposal has definately dropped off (he is by no means alone in this).
What annoys me is how when he makes an howler its accepted, but if one of the "whipping boys....Raph, Zac, Kosi etc) make one, then they get abused. We should support ALL of our boys and look at their whole game not just their errors.

[georgie girl]

gilbert and jones should be dropped can't kick on their right foot...
James herd could not kick on his left foot thats why he was no good

I can only presume that you are joking!

And about Sam, yes he has had a few horror disposals in last couple of games, but according to this week's footy record, he is Saints leader in effective kicks this season!

[Milan Faletic]

Both on his left foot and his non preferred.

For the past three weeks his disposal has been appalling. Last night he was forced to hurriedly kick on his left, missed his target by a mile, straight on to the chest of a Bulldog player and Griffen scores a goal.

Apart from that he is shanking it,, kicking it out on tlke full and generally putting the other backmen under pressure.

The opposition has worked him out. He gets forced onto his right foot because he, just like Jones cant use it for s.hit. This forces disposals and causes turnovers or shanks.

Gilbert is a good player, and cant read a game very well, has a good sidesteep, but can bounce it for s.hit either and when he does, it is way out in front of him, causing him to lose stride, and put off the timing of the leads up the ground.

He is being found out and needs to really work on his disposal and right foot kicking to be classed as elite.

Agree with you on his kicking but he is a great player not a good player. Young and developing and unlucky to not be All Australian last year.

I am sure he is aware of his weaknesses and is probably training his butt off to improve. His positives outweigh his negatives by a long way IMHO.

[True Blue Sainter]

TD is slowly improving, TBS? He'd want to hurry up, im not sure the old bugger has too many seasons left in him!

Up from around 50% to 65% in recent years!

[fingers]

One preseason of developing his right foot and its fixed.

[bergholt]

TD is slowly improving, TBS? He'd want to hurry up, im not sure the old bugger has too many seasons left in him!

Up from around 50% to 65% in recent years!

really? wikipedia says that his worst season was 0.599, and that since then he's gradually improved to 0.725 last year. his best ever season of 0.799 was actually 01-02.

but i take your general point. great players do the hard yards to improve their weaknesses.

[joffaboy]

Agree with you on his kicking but he is a great player not a good player. Young and developing and unlucky to be All Australian last year.

I am sure he is aware of his weaknesses and is probably training his butt off to improve. His positives outweigh his negatives by a long way IMHO.

I disagree. I dont think he is a "great" player by any stretch of the imagination. He is a very good backman, can read a game beautifully, a lovely mover, can sting with a rugby like tackle, but falls down terribly with his disposal.

It shows a hell of a lot more when Gram is out. The team likes to get the ball into Grams hands almost as much as getting it to bj. Without Gram there Gilbert is required to clear it second kick from goal and spot up a midfield target. He gets forced onto his right foot and then he is indecisive and looks for a handball option.

This is hurting us in the backline and putting tremendous pressure on the likes of Blake and Zac and Raph and to a lesser extent Fisher.

Gilbert will never be a "great" player until he can develop efficent and accurate disposal on his right foot.

Still I would have him in the team and his good points are excellent. His awareness and reading of the game is excellent, and where he may put presure on the other backmen with his disposal, his coverage in contested marking is perhaps the best in the league.

[WinnersOnly]

GILBERT has caught the DAWSON disease. Both players are trying to spear the ball really low with no forward momentum. When left fotters do that they tend to turn the ball, which causes them to skew there ball drop.

They both need to get on the move befor ethey kick and stop trying to drill the ball as hard as they are and point their follow thru at their target.

Both are great kicks and it is only a minor gliche!

[Saintsfan]

Both on his left foot and his non preferred.

For the past three weeks his disposal has been appalling. Last night he was forced to hurriedly kick on his left, missed his target by a mile, straight on to the chest of a Bulldog player and Griffen scores a goal.

Apart from that he is shanking it,, kicking it out on tlke full and generally putting the other backmen under pressure.

The opposition has worked him out. He gets forced onto his right foot because he, just like Jones cant use it for s.hit. This forces disposals and causes turnovers or shanks.

Gilbert is a good player, and cant read a game very well, has a good sidesteep, but can bounce it for s.hit either and when he does, it is way out in front of him, causing him to lose stride, and put off the timing of the leads up the ground.

He is being found out and needs to really work on his disposal and right foot kicking to be classed as elite.

There is so much irony in this i do not know where to begin

[na exa]

i think he's been a bit rattled all season myself ... especially against the woodies in the 3rd quarter.

[Milan Faletic]

Agree with you on his kicking but he is a great player not a good player. Young and developing and unlucky to be All Australian last year.

I am sure he is aware of his weaknesses and is probably training his butt off to improve. His positives outweigh his negatives by a long way IMHO.

I disagree. I dont think he is a "great" player by any stretch of the imagination. He is a very good backman, can read a game beautifully, a lovely mover, can sting with a rugby like tackle, but falls down terribly with his disposal.

It shows a hell of a lot more when Gram is out. The team likes to get the ball into Grams hands almost as much as getting it to bj. Without Gram there Gilbert is required to clear it second kick from goal and spot up a midfield target. He gets forced onto his right foot and then he is indecisive and looks for a handball option.

This is hurting us in the backline and putting tremendous pressure on the likes of Blake and Zac and Raph and to a lesser extent Fisher.

Gilbert will never be a "great" player until he can develop efficent and accurate disposal on his right foot.

Still I would have him in the team and his good points are excellent. His awareness and reading of the game is excellent, and where he may put presure on the other backmen with his disposal, his coverage in contested marking is perhaps the best in the league.

Sorry, I meant unlucky not to be All Australian, bit of a typo.

[borderbarry]

In the last two games Gilbert has picked out opposition players on several oocasions in a row early in the game, then he seems to settle down. A bit like Raph last season, early errors, then a good game.

[kalsaint]

He also seems to have lost a bit of confidence of late.

He hasn't lost any confidence, but his disposal by hand and foot is below par.

Too right. Ther eis no issue with his confidence. I fact you might argue that his confidence in taking them on sometimes puts him in awkward situations that highlights his kicking deficiency.

[Duggie]

In the last two games Gilbert has picked out opposition players on several oocasions in a row early in the game, then he seems to settle down. A bit like Raph last season, early errors, then a good game.

Exactly the way I have been seeing it. He will improve generally and is one of our best each week ,but has he got a "non-preferred" in the real sense Joffa?

[groupie1]

Having Gilbert means we can RELEASE GODDARD FORWARD