Richmond's eligible BatchelorBy Paul Daffey
afl.com.au
11:22 PM Wed 14 Mar, 2012IF RICHMOND half-back Jake Batchelor is noted for one trait at this early stage in his career, it's his kicking. The 20-year-old appears to be a traditional left-footer; a long, raking kick to position.
But Batchelor believes his kicking needs work. As a junior, he had a penchant for kicking low and hard over 40 metres. "Low bullets," as he described them to richmondfc.com.au.
While some would come off, looking magnificent as they sped towards a teammate, others flew at indiscreet angles to his boot. Consistency was a problem.
Since arriving at arriving at Punt Road before the 2011 season, Batchelor has tried to fix the problem, and mostly he's succeeded. But occasionally he reverts to type and tries to send a skimmer forward.
And, as with his junior days, some come off while others have a mind of their own.
The trick, he's found out, is to try to get some air into his kicks.
"I'm just trying to take a step back, not kick as hard, just lob the ball up a little more," he said. "But I still make the occasional blunder."
Batchelor also wants to improve his concentration. Three Geelong players kicked goals against him during the Tigers' 59-pointy victory at Simonds Stadium on Saturday.
And he wants to get more of the ball, to become an attacking player as well as a stopper.
"I need to add some run and carry," he said.
In truth, Batchelor's start to his AFL career has been exceptional.
He was never a star as a junior. He played only half the TAC Cup season with the Dandenong Stingrays as a 17-year-old in 2009 before being dropped.
He spent most of the rest of the season playing with his home club, Frankston Bombers, where he played in a premiership.
The next week, after Stingrays captain Tom Scully had broken his kneecap, he was in the Stingrays' team that played in the grand final against the Calder Cannons.
As an 18-year-old Batchelor had a good season with the Stingrays but was unable to make the Victorian Country team for the national under-18 championships.
Richmond drafted him on potential — and it's proved an astute choice.
Batchelor played 16 games in his debut season. The games he missed were through injury.
He missed one match because of a "hot spot" in his foot and five games at the end of the season through a strained AC joint.
The fact that he was never dropped and never came back into the team via the Coburg Tigers indicates the coaches' faith in him.
At 188cm and 78kg, he seems ripe for a run on a wing before an eventual move into the midfield.
Batchelor had three operations after the 2011 season: a clean out on his shoulder and clean outs of both hips. He spent five weeks doing rehab running before joining the main group in mid-December.
His ability to run out games during the NAB Cup indicates that he's stepped up in fitness.
He shows every sign of kicking on.
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