IT’S NEVER too late to teach an experienced Lion new tricks or, in the case of in-form midfielder Tim Notting, for a subtle, but important re-tooling of a kicking technique.
Notting has put boot to ball 229 times so far this season, more than any other Lion.
Always known as a long kick, he says mid-season work on his action has helped make him more consistent.
The 28-year-old was once again a strong contributor during Saturday night’s 37-point home win over the Kangaroos, gathering 25 disposals.
”The last four weeks or so, I’ve been kicking better and more consistently – my percentages are up,” Notting explained.
”Before that I had a patch where I was kicking a few floaters and mongrel punts. But I’ve been working hard on it at training, and that’s paying off.
”I wasn’t really having a go at my kicks and I was a bit being indecisive.
”Now that we’re moving it into our forwards a lot quicker, it’s probably easier because you’re not thinking so much about where you are going to kick it – you just get it and go.
“But I also drop the ball from really high and that’s something I looked at. I’ve changed my grip a bit in the last few weeks and it seems to be working.”
Notting has averaged 25 possessions per game during the Lions’ five-matching winning streak and he rates his current run of form as good, if not better, than any he has produced during his previous nine seasons at AFL level.
The athletic utility finished equal-seventh in the club champion award in the 2001 premiership year and has charted top-10 finishes in the past two years.
"I had a pretty consistent 2001 during the first flag but I think I’ve probably been more productive this year,” Notting said.
"I had a really good pre-season and got really fit. I’ve got a young boy now (son Baxter), so I probably look after myself a fair bit better and he keeps me pretty level.
"I’ve got a bit more game time and the structure we are playing helps me and Cheynee Stiller out on the wings.”
The Lions now find themselves in seventh spot and in the reckoning for a finals berth – something which seemed improbable only six weeks ago.
Like his coach, Leigh Matthews, Notting isn’t about to start talking September action just yet.
But he admits that, with fellow top-eight aspirants Hawthorn, Sydney, Adelaide and Geelong to come, the Lions will certainly help shape the make-up of this year’s finals.
"The last five weeks have just been fantastic – the side has really gelled, we are playing hard-at-it footy and you couldn’t ask any more of the boys,” he said.
"The results have showed that when we get the ball into our forwards, we can kick winning scores.
”From where we were five weeks ago, we’ve improved a lot. Even if we don’t end up making the finals, we’re going to have a lot of fun rearranging that seventh and eighth spot.”
