AS A FOUR-TIME premiership Hawk, Jarryd Roughead knows all about coping with big moments.
As a former Coleman medallist, he's also familiar with overcoming the kicking "yips" when they become more mental than mechanical.
Since retiring at the end of last season, Roughead has joined St Kilda in a multi-faceted role within the footy department, in the list management team, and with the team's leaders.
He's also helping the club's key position players, having garnered 283 games of experience on the field in a predominantly key forward role.
With the space of mindfulness becoming more significant in society, its value when it comes to goalkicking isn't lost on players like Roughead, and he's been keen to pass on the message.
"He's emphasised it's important," forward Tim Membrey told AFL.com.au.
"There's not too much different you can do. Everyone has little things but there's not a whole lot different you can do with goalkicking, it's pretty simple.
"But one thing is, more mentally, you want to make sure you've clearly done the work and it's about being in that moment there and then."
It's an area the Saints needed to address, after inaccuracy plagued them over the last two seasons.
In 2018, they were 17th in the competition with a 43.3 per cent accuracy level when taking shots at goal.
In 2019, it got worse, and they were 18th with a percentage of 42.6 per cent.
Membrey himself improved last season, raising his shot at goal accuracy from 47.2 per cent (71st in the competition) to 62 per cent (eighth overall).
He acknowledges the challenge will always remain, especially as he'll more than likely be the Saints' most consistent target inside 50 this season with Josh Bruce moving to the Western Bulldogs.
But, he's hoping to use Roughead's tips on how best to block out the noise - from both the fans at the ground and the critics in society - when lining up for goal.
"It is tough, when there's thousands of people screaming, but I guess you just want to focus on the present, where you are, what you're doing with the ball right there and then when you're walking in for a shot at goal," Membrey said.
"It's one of those things that's been a problem for years and it probably always will be a problem because it's just the nature of the beast - it's just pressure and some guys handle it better than others.
"We haven't been great in years gone by but hopefully we can start to turn that around.
"I think he has made a difference already. We're doing a lot of work on it."
For Jack Billings, Roughead's advice has stemmed beyond overcoming the mental hurdles associated with set shots and filtered into his development as a leader.
Promoted into the Saints' leadership group early last season when Dylan Roberton was ruled out for the year to stabilise his heart condition, Billings has retained his spot as part of their six-man team.
He said learning from the former Hawks' captain, who he already knew as a neighbour and opponent, had already proved invaluable.
"He's been continuing to bounce ideas off me and challenge me about different things," Billings said.
"He's been pulling not only me but guys aside and giving them little tips and ideas of what to do with certain situations, and that has been really helpful.
"Every time he speaks and gives advice to the guys everyone listens because of the player he was and how much success he had.
"I've been looking forward to the season once it starts and how he can not only help me but the whole leadership group and the emerging leaders."
