Quade's kicking

[RugbyReg]

I really enjoy Lutton's articles as they aren't the usual stuff you read in most news sites. An interesting article below of the genesis of Coops's kicking style.

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's Super Cooper
PHIL LUTTON
March 9, 2010 - 4:31PM

It looks like he's about to don a cape and leap tall buildings in a single bound.

Reds fly-half Quade Cooper's new "superhero" pose before shots at goal is raising eyebrows but there's no chance of the Queensland star tinkering with a posture on the verge of attaining cult status.

The comic-book stance isn't just for aesthetic appeal. There is much to admire about Cooper's maturing game in 2010, not least a new-found influence with the boot that has seen him slot 20 from 28 attempts in the opening four rounds of the Super 14.

While his instinctive playmaking abilities have been earning most of the compliments, Cooper's efforts to pilot home five-from-six in his side's dramatic 23-18 upset of the Chiefs in Hamilton last week was the telling blow in the contest.

The mastermind behind the quirky approach is none other than Wallabies coach Robbie Deans, who helped reinvent the Queenslander's run-up during their time in the Australian camp late last year.

Now, instead of simply jogging in and swinging the boot, Cooper marks his run-up like a rooster stalking the pen, before cocking his fists like a cartoon Superman about to blast off into thin air.

Like former NRL star Mark Riddell, whose raised hand was copied by delighted fans every time he took a kick, Cooper's antics are beginning to catch on. In Hamilton last week, sections of the crowd mimicked the pose, much to the amusement of Cooper's Queensland comrades.

"There was a few at Waikato, a few of my mates from high school, in the stands doing the pose," Cooper said.

"A few of the boys are jumping on board, giving me a bit of stick. It's something I've been working on and it just happened that it turned out like the superhero thing. It's a bit of an unusual one but one I'm going to stick with.

"A lot of other kickers have different styles so it's something of my own and hopefully turns out to be successful."

There is method behind the madness and Cooper has been using his newly discovered powers for good instead of evil, at least from the vantage point of unusually jubilant Reds fans. Deans encouraged Cooper to open up his technique and reduce his tendency to pull the ball to the left.

"It's all about trying to keep my shoulder over the ball, opening up and relying on the curve. You see a lot of the league kickers with big curve on their kicks," Cooper said.

"Robbie explained to me to keep my shoulders back so I wouldn't get around the corner so much. I just followed along."

Cooper had little choice but to devote more time to his kicking, given the departures of Berrick Barnes, who was the first choice last season, and Clinton Schifcofske, who had the gig in 2008.

"I kicked through school so it was just a matter of getting back out there and finding the technique," he said.

With another string added to his bow, it's little wonder the attacking wunderkind is attracting interest from rival franchises. Just four games into the season, the 21-year-old finds himself in the absurd position of having to answer contractual questions about his whereabouts in 2011.

Cooper didn't deny interest from the winless Western Force, who the Reds host at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday afternoon, but gave a strong indication his blossoming partnership with halfback Will Genia, combined with Queensland's retention of Digby Ioane and captain James Horwill, would make it difficult to leave.

He also said he would be keen to finalise his future as early as possible to avoid endless speculation throughout the Super rugby campaign.

"This season has been going well for us as a whole. There's obviously going to be some interest - I'm coming off contract - but there's a long way to go in the season and hopefully I can get it all sorted," Cooper said.

"My halfback partner re-signed. To have him stay, Digby, Kevvie (Horwill) is on board. It's just a matter of getting a roll on after that. Hopefully myself and the rest of the boys can get it all sorted out sooner rather than later."

 

[Scarfman]

His kicking style is retarded and biomechanically all over the place. It looks to me like he's trying to balance a hook with a slice and hope it goes straight. He's like one of these old blokes at the golf club who find ways to putt that are unspeakably ugly but sort of get the job done.

The superhero style - I boldly predict - is doomed. He should learn to kick properly.

 

[DPK]

Yeah, like Giteau.

Oh wait... Scotland 9 - Australia 8

 

[Scarfman]

Giteau chips it, falls away at the moment of contact, and hence has a distinct curl. As a result, he can't kick from the wrong side.

There is only one correct way to place kick, in the same way that there is only one correct way to hit a golf ball. You can have minor idiosyncrasies, but you must hit the ball through the line that you want it to go.

 

[DPK]

Giteau chips it, falls away at the moment of contact, and hence has a distinct curl. As a result, he can't kick from the wrong side.

There is only one correct way to place kick, in the same way that there is only one correct way to hit a golf ball. You can have minor idiosyncrasies, but you must hit the ball through the line that you want it to go.

I never trust kickers who curl the ball a lot, like Giteau and Jonathon Thurston. I think Stephen Jones has one of those unique styles, but he usually kicks dead straight or close to it. And of course, Morne Steyn kicks it fairly straight too. It just seems so much safer to just kick it straight through the sticks than try to curl it in. I know when im occasionally called on to kick goals, i kick gun barrel straight.

 

[Juan Cote]

We covered this topic a few weeks ago during the Reds v Blues match, it has nothing to do with Superhero's

Of those who responded, the following results were recorded.

10% said QC (Quade Cooper)'s kicking style resembled throwing a cast net
20% said it was like dancing the Charleston
10% said it was like fighting a bull
30% said it was like discuss throwing a lap top
30% said it was like taking a piss on a tree.

Now, I've never heard of QC (Quade Cooper) throwing a cast net, fighting a bull or dancing the Charleston but he has been accused of the latter two so I guess that settles it.

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/live-score-reds-vs-blues/...go to 8.22 on the cover-it box

 

[TOCC]

i couldnt find the statistic, but im pretty sure Jonathon Thurston kicks up around 80% with his curve kick

 

[spectator]

It's whatever gets you the results. Jim Furyk has a very unconventional and non-textbook swing, yet is a world top ten golfer and one of the more accurate.

It's being aware of your action and being able to replicate it, time and time again.

When was QC (Quade Cooper) ever conventional anyway?

 

[liquor box]

It's being aware of your action and being able to replicate it, time and time again.

If you think of Kicking as a target sport like archery, shooting or darts then you will see that any method works, as long as you do it the same every time.

I used to play golf with a guy who sliced the ball about 40m with every drive, it was truely rediculous, but he was hard to beat because his short 160m drives were ALWAYS on the fairway and he was able to replicate if every time.

Coopers kicking is gi=oing great and I think the idea behind it is sound and maybe thinking about body position being correct is better than thinking about missing the attempt

 

[Jethro Tah]

If it aint broke ...........

Giteau chips it, falls away at the moment of contact, and hence has a distinct curl. As a result, he can't kick from the wrong side.

Gits' style is not dissimilar from Dan Carter who can kick from the wrong side, as per:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpKsDsCJhv8&feature=related

 

[DPK]

i couldnt find the statistic, but im pretty sure Jonathon Thurston kicks up around 80% with his curve kick

I normally agree with your posts, but I'd have to see the stats on that.

 

[Viking]

i couldnt find the statistic, but im pretty sure Jonathon Thurston kicks up around 80% with his curve kick

Probably true. But i always thought a league ball was easier to kick then a rugby ball. Its smaller and easier to replicate ur kicks. Union balls curve more, more affected by the wind.

 

[dobduff11]

In the article it says its a new style but hes had it since the Autumn tour of the uk and he had the beginnings of the stance in this video in 2005,
1:20 Quade kicking

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Stjf9c8NOw

 

[fatprop]

i couldnt find the statistic, but im pretty sure Jonathon Thurston kicks up around 80% with his curve kick

yeah but nrl guys don't kick any hard ones, just conversions

 

[TOCC]

i couldnt find the statistic, but im pretty sure Jonathon Thurston kicks up around 80% with his curve kick

yeah but nrl guys don't kick any hard ones, just conversions

i dunno, they do a lot of kicks from the sidelines, but i guess they dont usually go for the long distance penalty goals like they do in union

 

[Scotty]

Giteau chips it, falls away at the moment of contact, and hence has a distinct curl. As a result, he can't kick from the wrong side.

There is only one correct way to place kick, in the same way that there is only one correct way to hit a golf ball. You can have minor idiosyncrasies, but you must hit the ball through the line that you want it to go.

How much golf do you play and or watch, Scarfy? You are correct on one point, the mechanics or more precisely physics behind a golf club hitting the ball are the same, but there are many variations on the lead up to that point.

The common themes in a golf swing are:

1 Keeping the club on plane
2 Hitting the ball with a square (ish) club face

However, there are many variations in style of getting the club to those particular points in relation to the ball. Have a look at the swings of Kenny Perry and Anthony Kim, and tell me they aren't very different.

The critical thing in Coopers kicking is the impact position of his foot on the ball, and the plane on which his leg travels. I haven't analysed his technique in slow mo, so can't comment on these things, but I'm not going to rule it out as valid just because it looks different.

In saying the above, Barnes seems to be striking the ball the best of any kicker in Oz at the moment.

 

[Scarfman]

You guys are settling for second best. Some weeks 80% some weeks 40%.

If you want consitently high % success, you need to kick like Matt Burke, Dan Carter, Jonny Jonny Jonny, or even Percy Montgomery. Non-kicking leg planted securely, body balanced - not falling away either direciton, leg swings smoothly through the point of contact, eyes still on the spot after the ball has left.

Like Scotty says, there are some rules you can't break, even if it doesn't matter how you get there. Quade has already had a couple of shockers this year, and will continue to run hot and cold, while he turns his body to hook it, and strikes the ball to slice it.

Kurtley has a terrible kicking style, then Burke tried to fix it, but Kurtley was under too much pressure to get them over, so he kept reverting to his crap style. I hope a year or two as the backup kicker gives him the chance to get it right.

 

[Blue]

Technique? Pah! Arnold Palmer. That is all.

 

[Newb]

can't say the form inspires a lot of confidence but it is working. if it's what he needs to do to keep his mechanics "working" then he should keep it up. especially since the reds have no other options for kicking really.

besides, it's not like we're talking about him kicking for the wobs yet. let's take a breath.

 

[Scotty]

Like Scotty says, there are some rules you can't break, even if it doesn't matter how you get there. Quade has already had a couple of shockers this year, and will continue to run hot and cold, while he turns his body to hook it, and strikes the ball to slice it.

Yeah, you would think that pulling his hip back would encourage what in golfing terms would be called an 'over the top' motion, meaning his foot will slice across the ball to an extent.

He is trying to stop 'hooking' the ball. In golf this is caused by the club attacking the ball from too far inside and a strong rotation closing the club face. Essentially the differential between the face of the club and the plane of the club. Extrapolating that to Quades problem, he would be bringing his foot from too far behind his body, and squaring it at impact to cause a big hook. Pulling his hip back might stop him coming too far inside with his leg, but it seems to me that it would also restrict power (which should be gained via driving the hips and upper body through before the leg and foot).

It would seem more logical to try and have the 'backswing' of his leg more vertical (ie less inside), and then drive out through the ball (like hitting a cover drive in cricket). His should be able to achieve more power and better balance. But for all I know he has tried this, and he just couldn't get it to work. Only time will tell if his new kicking style is to be considered a success.