Absolutely right, if I kept practicing, there's nothing to stop me.



Now don't get me wrong, I'm not pretending I'm a good goal kicker, like you most of my attempts struggle to reach the try line! Just outlining that despite my appallingly bad physical condition, the physical act of kicking a goal can be done. So it's only consistency that is the issue.

Not only is Southstander full of people who believe they cn run the club better than Hetherington or coach the club better than McDermott it's bow full of people who think they can kick goals as accurately as one of the all time greats in the game.



Tremendous.

Really? Who's said that?

Wigan coach Shaun Wane has taken the unusual approach of enlisting the help of a RL forum contributor to solve his clubs goal kicking problems. After Matty Smith again cost his side with some wayward conversions, Wane took immediate action.

" We heard there was a kicking guru giving out some pretty useful advice on a Leeds fans forum so we've got him on board. Apparently it's all down to practice, that's where we've been going wrong for the last couple of years. We made contact with the guy and he starts on Monday. Matty will benefit from his input. There's nothing scientific going on, just practice, simple as that".

When asked why the club had not picked up on the simple answer to his clubs woes Wane said,

"Sometimes there's no magic formula, it was there staring us all in the face. We won't be making that mistake again"

Plenty of valid opinions and questions asked G do you not think we should have recruited better or that Mc.D isn't "untouchable" wrt selections/rotations and tactics?

Whatever you do, don't give a negative opinion or Printer/Juan/loiner81 will come get you while you sleep.

So it's magic that makes the likes Sinfield & Wilkinson such good goal kickers? Not practice?

Are you ever going to actually make some kind of counter-argument and debate the subject like a grown up or just make stupid, childish comments?



A quote from a kicking coach:

"...it takes work. And some players, particularly backs, would want to look at other parts of their game....The players don't want to stay behind and learn it."

You're showing all the traits of someone to deep into a debate that they're hopelessly losing. You may also have selective amnesia, happily disregarding my counter arguments that I've made throughout this debate. I injected a bit of humour that you obviously didn't appreciate, I think you may also suffer from "small man" syndrome. As for your recycled quote from a "kicking coach", it's a bit of a lame response and adds no credence to your hopeless argument. Anyway, if you like quotes here's one from Shaun Wane this week regarding Smiths poor kicking that shows no sign of improving,

"He keeps working on it, and as long as he does I'm satisfied."

So there you have it, he's practising hard, his coach is happy that he's practising hard, and we still have the same outcome, he is sh**e. Over to you guru, dig yourself a bit deeper.

You could've just said "No I'll continue to act like a small child".



How much does Smith practice? With whom? Does he have someone (eg a kicking coach) to help analyse flaws in his technique or approach? Obviously Wane is happy with what he currently has. That's up to Wane. He may prioritise, for instance, better defence, attacking structure or more work on a short kicking game from his one and only established half back at Wigan.



How can a quote regarding improving kicking quality from Dave Alred on a thread regarding how to improve kicking be lame and adds no credence?



Again, if you disagree, make an actual argument as to why instead of just saying it's not possible over and over again.

"Can we keep this one? I just love the deluded naivety of this one. He's like a new puppy walking into walls. Please can we keep him ? I promise I'll look after him.

" Awwww he's so cute when he tries to get angry ! He's like scrappy do !



Pretty childish comments don't you agree ? Or are you a hypocrite as well as a bully ? You made the above comments during the last few days towards a contributor on the Virtual Terrace, and then have the brass neck to say I act like a small child. Which way do you want to play it ? Do you want the banter, or do you want to be a straight member without the banter ? Seems to me you turned into a drama queen when I had a little laugh at your expense, and that's when you don't like the banter, that's when it's "childish". As I have already pointed out to you, over the 8 pages of this topic I have made numerous contributions, all but one have been rational and respectful, if you choose to disregard them and continue to cry about the one where I was tongue in cheek, you will continue to make yourself look like a big baby.

If you seriously think Shaun Wane has not explored every avenue to improve Matty Smiths kicking while it is costing them trophies you must be deluded. When you ask who Wigan have as kicking coach, it is none other than Mr Paul Deacon, one of the best kickers of the modern era. He could probably teach your Dave Alred a thing or two in fairness. As for your theory that continual practice could even make Jamie Peacock a world class kicker, it's total bunkum. Some people don't have the natural physical strength, rhythm or mental strength to achieve such levels. A case in point would be Matty Smith versus Pat Richards, the last two Wigan kickers. Pat Richards is a stronger kicker of the ball, far stronger than Matty Smith could ever be. Tell me how any coach could give Matty Smith an extra 20 yards on his kicks, it is just physically impossible, Matty Smith is smaller,weaker and could never generate the distance of the bigger, stronger man. That immediately rules out Smith ever kicking the long distance kicks Richards could achieve. It also compromises Smiths angle from touch line conversions, he has to take the tighter angle due to the lack of natural power he generates, whereas Richards gives himself the bigger target to aim at due to being able to take the ball further away thus enhancing the angle. They are facts, and nothing that you or Dave Alred say will ever change that. "Practice makes perfect" is simply not true in some cases, if it were I would be making millions every year by throwing darts at a board from a few feet. The board is in the same place, the oche never moves, weather conditions don't come into play, and physical strength is not a pre requisite. The reason why I have not become a millionaire by mastering the easiest sport to play is because I don't have the necessary skill level required, there happens to be a small bunch of people that can do it better than everyone else no matter how much we practice.

Over to you.

To be fair to Smith, he has his complete game to concentrate on vastly improving.

When do you reckon he'll make a start?