No more left footers - well not as many anyway

[Harry]

Over the past 2 years we have recruited 19 players, 2 of which are left footers - Simmons and Howat. Terry is obvioulsy not a fan of left footers and said we had too many at the club when he arrived - especially in the backline. I can sort of see why - for some reason left footed players are not as dual sided as right footed players and are more predictable in which way they will usually turn. Don't know why it is but most lefties really struggle to kick with the opposite foot where it doesn't seem the case for the righties.

 

[hopper]

Oh Harry, you are really struggling for discussion fodder now aren't you.

Just pick the best players - regardless of which foot they prefer. I'd be pretty confident tery doesn't have any major aversion to lefties though!

By the way - does anyone have any idea why only left footers can be described as "raking"? Nobody seems to be a raking right footer??

 

[Richmond United]

Agreed H.  I don't think it's coincedance that we were one of the most predictable teams in the league at a time when we had such a high percentage of leties in the team.

 

[Skills]

I don't think it's coincedance that we were one of the most predictable teams in the league at a time when we had such a high percentage of lefties in the team.

Absolutely correct. Infact, on consecutive nights this weekend, I watched the Tigers in a couple of games from 2001-2. The first was against Port in 01 and the second was Brisbane in 02. On both occassions we looked very 1-dimensional. The opposition could easily predict which way the ball would be travelling and which way players would be moving, given there was an abundance of "left-footers". Perhaps the real problem was our pace all over the park and not the number of
"left-footers" (which appeared to be a symptom to the real problem).

 

[structures]

And if there were an abundance of 'right footers' wouldn't the oppostion predict which way the ball will be travelling?

The problem wasn't the 'abundance' of left footers, it was because they were just crap players.

 

[feisty tige]

I kick with my left foot, and am right handed. I have trouble kicking with my right foot, they tend to spray...


Anyhoo :blah

 

[mainlandy]

I kick with my left foot, and am right handed. I have trouble kicking with my right foot, they tend to spray...


Anyhoo      :blah

I'm left at everything Feisty and find it extremely hard to do things with my right side. Kicking with my right foot is a disgrace.

 

[Hanny]

We do seem to be one sided coming outt of the backline.

 

[Bill James]

I don't care which foot they kick with as long as they can kick with their non-preferred just as well.

 

[Baloo]

Lefties are freaks. We really don't want more than one or two of them on the park at any one time.

 

[tigeronaharley]

Left footers always appear better balanced in IMO, it doesn't matter what natural side of the body a player uses in most instances they still brake clear as no one has perfected the ability to watch the hips of the ballcarrier.. hard thing to do in the heat of the moment, that's why' holding up' or 'corraling' is used, less tackles are applied than the ballcarrier breaking free.. more left than right or vice- versa .. don't think it really matters, thinking quick[ correctly ] & the 1% that's what counts.
'Go Tiges ' :emblem :thumbsup

 

[Ghost of Punt Road]

as if left or right footed makes any difference?

an entirely right footed side would be better would it? totally unpredictable then?

The perfect team would be half left footers and half right footers (excluding the team of 22 dual sided players which aint gunna happen).

good point about 'raking'

maybe they use some other garden implement? 'Shovelling right footer?'

 

[Harry]

as if left or right footed makes any difference?

an entirely right footed side would be better would it? totally unpredictable then?

The perfect team would be half left footers and half right footers (excluding the team of 22 dual sided players which aint gunna happen).

good point about 'raking'

maybe they use some other garden implement? 'Shovelling right footer?' 

You don't get my point.

For some reason most (not all) left footers struggle to kick on their right. Just some quick examples off the top off my head - Knights, Broderick, Lambert, Tivendale, etc. A few quality players in that bunch especially knights but he was totally hopeless on his right. A disgrace.

However there are very minimal right footers who struggle to be adequate on their non-preferred. The only name that pops up at the moment is probably Andrew Raines. Right footers can much easily adapt. I'm a right footer, but through practice I can say I'm better on my left in both kicking a football and a soccer ball. I have left footed mates, and after years of practice they just can't seem to kick on their non-preferred. Must be a biological thing.