Two-time St Kilda best & fairest winner Seb Ross has revealed he’s made the decision to reduce his long kicking going into the 2020 AFL season.
Ross told SEN's Bob and Andy that he realised midway through last season he should stick to short field kicks for the benefit of the team.
“I wasn’t happy with my long kicking. Last year I tended to kick it off my knee or shin a little bit because I’m just trying to boot the cover off it,” the Saints midfielder said.
“Halfway through last year I was just having an issue with my inside 50 kicking and it was all to do with the longer entries.
“I sat down with Brendon Lade, we worked out a way I could be more efficient for the team by playing within my realms. I’m a good short kick and it’s beneficial for the team a lot of the time to keep the ball in possession.
“You’ve just got to learn to work with what you’ve got and be able to manipulate certain situations to your advantage. Obviously, I’m just trying to hit the short option and swim between my flags."
The 26-year-old has learnt to appreciate the strengths of his teammates and trust them to bring aspects to the game that he can’t bring.
“We’ve got other guys in the team that can pull out that long kick and play to their strengths as well,” Ross said.
“That’s where I think I can progress as a footballer, especially because we’ve got a few new guys this season, understanding their strengths and what they bring to the side – how I can complement them and bring them into the game.”
Ross was vice-captain in 2019 and led the team in the absence of regular captain Jarryn Geary.