Lion benefits from trainer's Midas touch

Thanks to some outside-the-box thinking by Brisbane coach Chris Fagan, a fix for Daniel McStay's set shot struggles was only a phone call away.

AFL

Daniel McStay's set piece shots have improved since a chat with a sports performance guru. (AAP)

The man behind Jonny Wilkinson's golden boot has done it again, helping Brisbane utility Daniel McStay tame his goal-kicking demons.

McStay had just missed a sitter that would have moved Brisbane within eight points of Essendon in a game they went on to lose.

Coach Chris Fagan approached him afterwards with an idea and no sooner was the 23-year-old working with world-renowned performance coach Dave Alred.

The Englishman worked with rugby star Wilkinson ahead of the 2003 World Cup, while former golf world No.1 Luke Donald, the English cricket team and Manchester City are also on his resume.

Last month Alred joined Italian golfer Francesco Molinari's camp before his eight-shot victory in the Quicken Loans National.

Molinari finished with a tournament record 21 under - the lowest 72-hole score in his professional career.

Alred has a PHD in Performing under Pressure and Fagan, after reading his book, realised he often spent time in Queensland and could come in handy.

"Fages said he wanted to fix this and that he had a guy for me to see and I said 'absolutely," McStay told AAP.

"He knows nothing about footy, but he came in with a fresh look, watched some tape and said to me 'If I'm brutally honest, I'm not surprised you're missing goals'.

"You start watching other guys and really think about where you drop the ball from, what part of the foot it hits and where your body went after the kick, pre-kick.

"I was probably putting doubt in my mind before, but he gave me some exercises, I found it really helpful and I'm a lot more confident in my kicking now."

The results are there to see - McStay had kicked 9.12 after that dreaded Essendon miss but has since managed 6.1 in the last three games.

Coincidentally those three have all been wins for a Lions side that has started to deliver on its potential.

But McStay, who has been at the club since 2014, has issued a warning ahead of Saturday's clash with Adelaide.

"One win used to feel like we'd won a grand final but now we need to stay level-headed and hungry," he said.

"The Crows have had the wood over us ever since I've been here, but I don't think they've played this Brisbane Lions team."


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Source: AAP



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