HOW TO PLAY

In good Ever wondered why star is so quick and sure with his hands? hands By Howard Kotton. t is hard to believe Cameron Part 2 of a series on how to play Ling is a right-hander because the game – HANDBALL he is so proficient on his non-preferred side when he In today’s modern game, handball is • The punching fist is formed by Ihandballs. This is the result of a major attacking weapon as players placing the thumb outside, not years of practice in the backyard run the ball from defence into attack. inside the fingers. with his father Linton and brother It is a skill that needs to be practised • The stance is nearly side-on to David in Geelong. regularly and, by watching great allow the punching arm to swing “During my teenage years handball exponents such as Cameron through freely. Knees are slightly Ling, Sam Mitchell and , I made sure I learned how to bent to maintain balance. you can improve your game. handball both hands and kick • For a right-handed handball, both feet,” Ling said. “No matter TEACHING POINTS the left foot is forward and vice how bad I was when I was • The ball must be gripped lightly with versa for a left-handed handball. younger, I used to handball on my the platform hand and hit with a • The punching arm is also left hand and get better and better clenched fist. slightly bent. at it – same with my right foot. “When I moved into under-13s, quickly off rebound nets. can either kick under no pressure under-15s and under-18s, it was You’ve got to be able to take or run and bounce.” more about doing everything as the ball cleanly in your hands Growing up in Geelong, he quick as I could. I tried to train and dish it off with a quick marvelled at the handball skills of myself under a bit of intensity, as handball to a teammate. Greg Williams and . if you were in a game. “We practise the technique Since he started playing in the “I think dad was the one I about how you gather the ball and AFL, his role models in this skill kicked the footy with the most. I protect yourself, so that you can have included stars mucked around with my brother a turn and give the ball off and hit and , bit in the backyard. It was just that the target. We do work where you champion Scott general ball skills. I just kicked the hit the longer handball target.” West and former Carlton captain footy at lunchtime with my mates. When Ling takes possession, and current coach . When you came home you played he makes a quick assessment of “A lot of the good players are around in the backyard.” whether to kick or handball. good in contested situations. As a midfielder often winning “If I’m in a position where ‘Vossy’ was very good and Simon the ball in contested situations, I’ve got time and where I’ve got Black is terrific,” he said. Ling said handball was an someone down the field, I’ll “Garry Hocking always had a Ling is well balanced important part of his game and he always kick. If I’m in a contested good balance between running and moving towards his target, with his body spent plenty of time practising his situation and I’m about to be kicking-type options and getting in a side-on position The punching hand continues skills each week. tackled and there’s a teammate in the ball out to his teammates. to allow the punching The eyes are still focused arm to swing through on the receiver and his to follow through towards the “I do a lot of close-in, quick a bit of space who can run and “Scotty West has always been 1freely. His weight is moving weight is continuing to target and the stable head hands sort of stuff, as well as carry, I’ll give the ball to him,” very good, very quick hands. forward over his right leg move forward. The striking position has been maintained and his eyes are focused on fist has sent the ball in a throughout. Ling is continuing flicking up ground balls to he said. “Brett Ratten was exceptional at the target. The ball is gripped direct line towards the to run on to follow up the 2 3handball and support the receiver. someone running past,” he said. “ and it. You could think you had him lightly with the platform hand target with some backspin (similar and is pointing towards the to a drop punt kick). • Technical advice courtesy of the AFL Development “We do indoor touch sessions, are fantastic at it. If we win the covered, but the ball would be in target. The fist of the punching Department. which involve a lot of handball contested situation, we want to get and out of his hands before you hand is clenched, the thumb is outside the fingers and both and having to dish the ball off it to someone who is in space and knew it and away for his team.” ■ arms are slightly bent. The fist of the punching hand is driving towards the end of the ball. 68 AFL RECORD visit afl.com.au