# Duncan kicks to the front
Source URL: 	https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/duncan-kicks-to-the-front-20200904-p55sir.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_feed
Date: 		20200905T0430

It's probable Geelong like it that way. Duncan himself certainly does.

"It's definitely not something that bugs me," Duncan said. "I have
played with a lot of great players that have taken the spotlight, and
rightly so.

In the past five seasons Geelong have retained possession from 57.9 per
cent of Duncan's 297 inside 50s kicks.

That's more than anyone in the competition, Lance Franklin, Scott
Pendlebury, Gary Ablett, Daniel Rich, Patrick Dangerfield and Brad Hill
included.

In the same period, the Cats have scored from 43.9 per cent of Duncan's
297 inside 50 kicks. Only Franklin (46.7 per cent) is better.

"It comes back to decision making," Duncan said.

"Not trying to pick the hardest option every time helps and then having
a forward like Hawk [Tom Hawkins] ... who you trust and you've played
with a long time. You can understand how they work and how he moves.

"Sometimes you put the ball in one spot and he does the rest."

Duncan's style helps too.

"I'm not a contested ball player, really, I get the ball in a lot of
time and space and feel like I can use my smarts and identify space and
use work ethic to get there," he said. "So I have a bit of time to
deliver it inside 50. It is a big part of my game and if I'm not kicking
goals I love setting them up."

He says opposition pressure, tighter defensive systems and fatigue make
the skill very hard to execute, but he rises above by "staying relaxed".

"I am not sure how it all kind of works but I like setting up goals, and
kicking to full forwards is one of the best parts of the game I reckon,"
he said.

Those close to Duncan say he is extremely modest and diligent in his
preparation. He says improving his consistency is a top priority.

"It's a long game so you do a lot of things wrong as well. It is a very
imperfect game," Duncan said.

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The 29-year-old won a premiership in his second year (2011) and at that
point he thought more flags would flow as a matter of course.

"Then that doesn't happen and you build again and get really close and
it has kind of never happened [again]," he said.

The Cats playing group has been working on staying calm under pressure
this season, with hopes it will help avoid another near miss deep in the
finals.

"It's just understanding the pressure of the game," Duncan said. "It is
high pressure, things aren't going to go your way for periods of the
game. And just being able to adapt and get the game back on your terms
is the easy way to put it; Whether that's the mental side or method of
your game style.

"When you intertwine both of those and get it back to a high standard
then things are going to go your way.

"We have been in the situation so many times. It is very player-driven
and we have help with the club psych doing a good job there."

Duncan had hip surgery in the off-season and just made Geelong's round
one side.

Then, the eight-week coronavirus layoff came, which he describes as "a
little bit of a blessing" for his fitness and undoubtedly for Geelong's
2020 flag hopes.

"It [interrupted pre-season] was going to be hard to sustain over the
whole year. In the layoff I got specific training in that we had to miss
to get back to playing in round one," he said.

Anthony is a sports reporter at The Age.