GOALKICKING remains a mysterious art to players and fans alike.

The modern AFL footballer is fitter, more athletic and stronger and improved in many other ways to his earlier counterparts, yet goalkicking accuracy continues to decline.

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Former Collingwood midfielder-turned-specialist coach David Wheadon has forged a reputation as a goalkicking guru who worked with some of the AFL's biggest stars.

Wheadon joins AFL.com.au reporter and Trends host Marc McGowan to discuss what goes wrong when a player lines up for goal – and the ways he tries to solve the yips and "the fear of failure".

Trends is a podcast for the hardcore and average football fan who wants to learn more about what they're watching each weekend – plus what's going on behind the scenes.

Podcast summary

2:05 – The correlation between coaches and teachers
3:40 – How David Wheadon became a goalkicking specialist
5:45 – The three elements of goalkicking
8:17 – The fear of failure when lining up for a set shot
9:54 – Was John Coleman a Deadeye Dick?
11:35 – Only the last three steps count in a player's run-up
15:05 – Cameron Mooney's poster in the 2008 Grand Final
18:53 – Why being a goalkicking coach is complex
20:04 – The emergence of the set-shot snap
23:50 – Which are the AFL's best and worst teams for set shots?
28:10 – The philosophies of the Next Coach program
29:24 – Showing interest in players as people