Quote: piddy13 " ....i would drop whiting, no were the player we no, and his kicking is shocking'"
Unfair on Whiting. He's not a kicker, he knows it and we know it, but as part of his Jack of All Trades profile he's the next best thing we have.
I'll bet my house he's far from comfortable about taking on the kicking duties and would be delighted to off-load the responsibility onto someone else. Being the character he is, though, and willing to do anything he can to contribute to the team, much in the same way as he will play out of position anywhere he's asked if the coach needs him to do so, he's put up his hand to attempt the kicks 'cos no-one else can. He should be praised for this unwelcome commitment, not lambasted when he proves he's no Tickle.
Westy was generally accepted as the best kicker at the club but, unlike Whiting, asked to be relieved of the duties. Now, I don't know if this was a confidence issue, him being aware that every nuance of his performances were scrutinized by the fans early on in the season after mutterings about his commitment at the end of last season and through the off. Or perhaps he wanted to concetrate on his loose forward role with no distractions.
Both understandable reasons. But, as one of our best players this season, his LF role cemented and his performances lauded unanimously, his confidence must be high at present. Is it time to ask him to step up to take the goals again?
Either way, neither Whiting nor Westerman are the long-term solution for this crucial role. Games shouldn't be won or lost by the number of goals kicked, but the reality is that they are. Two crucial games nicked by last minute drop goals, a sigh every time we score more than 10 yards from the sticks, we can't carry on like this. Bugger the half back conundrum, we a need a kicker more than anything else, imo
