That's Tony Shaw's claim on 3aw tonight. He reckons fitness, tackling, handball skills etc has improved dramatically but the pure football skill of kicking a beautiful drop punt isn't as good by modern players as it use to be.
He also said when you think of the gap between Geelong, Hawthorn, Bulldogs and then Richmond, Carlton, Essendon last year it's their foot skills. He agreed with Russell that sides with poor footskills who try the cluster zone will get smashed this year.