Source :- THE AGE NEWS
Tom Papley is well rehearsed in telling his Australian rules football origin story: the former plumber from Bunyip in country Victoria who found out the Swans had drafted him during his smoko break and is still desperate to repay the club for taking a chance on him.
A tale that is far less told is how Papley turned to All Blacks legend Dan Carter last year to help the Swans improve their goal kicking. The forward is far more enthusiastic about telling it ahead of his 200th game for the Swans, when Sydney face West Coast in Perth on Saturday.
Carter is the highest points scorer in Test rugby history after playing 112 times for New Zealand. Papley did not want advice from the retired New Zealand playmaker on kicking mechanics; he was far more interested in how Carter dealt with pressure when the game was on the line.
The advice has clearly worked. According to Champion Data, last year the Swans’ set shot accuracy was 45 per cent, ranking them 15th of the 18 teams in the AFL. Now they are kicking at 52 per cent, the fifth best success rate in the league.
“He [Carter] came in last year on a Zoom, and we were struggling with our set shots, and we were missing a fair few,” Papley said.
“A lot of it is mental, and he explained that – it’s 90 per cent upstairs. As long as you get your technique right, the rest of it’s upstairs.
“He just talked about having a mental trigger, and his trigger was screwing his toes in before he kicks the ball … it’s definitely worked for me personally. I’ve kicked a lot better doing that … all the other forwards have taken that into account. I think we’re kicking a lot better this year.”
After fully recovering from a calf injury and being gradually eased back into action, Papley is looking forward to more minutes playing alongside Charlie Curnow against the Eagles.
Despite kicking two goals in the round two loss to Hawthorn at the MCG, former Essendon great Matthew Lloyd called Curnow’s early performances for the Swans “disappointing” on 3AW radio.
Papley believes there is more to come from Curnow, who has taken pressure off his fellow forwards by occupying the opposition’s best defender and urged patience with the former Carlton player as he finds his rhythm with the Swans.
“He’s always training elite and that’s what the best players do,” Papley said. “It will come for him. It’s always hard coming to a new club.
“I think you look over the years and not many players come in straight away and dominate straight away. I reckon you look at “Bud” [Lance Franklin] and he took a bit to get going.
“It’s not just about marks, kicks and handballs, as long as he can compete and bring the ball to ground, and the goals, that will come eventually. He’s working hard, doing everything he can. If people keep writing him off, I’m sure he’ll prove them wrong.”
