A former AFL player turned renowned kicking coach has thrown his support behind battling West Coast forward Jake Waterman, saying he’s doing a lot right and it is just his finishing work that is letting him down this season.

Waterman’s career-worst goal-kicking woes have been costly, specifically over the past fortnight, with some pivotal shots on goal going astray.

The 28-year-old missed two crucial set shots in the final term of his side’s narrow six-point defeat at the hands of Port Adelaide and hit the post in the dying minutes against North Melbourne.

Despite his troubles, Waterman remains one of the most dangerous forward in the competition and may go close to emulating his 2024 feat of earning an All-Australian blazer, should he get his goal kicking back on track.

Waterman has had the most score involvements of any player in the AFL this season and the most scoring shots but due to his inaccuracy, hasn’t fully reaped the rewards of his superb form.

Tim Schmidt, who spent six years at Sydney before going on to become GWS’s inaugural AFLW coach in 2017, is the founder and head coach of Kicking Dynamics Skills Academy, based in New South Wales.

The former Swan said he believes it is a matter of both process and belief that is letting the Eagles’ spearhead down, but praised his overall play in 2026.

“It just comes down to that belief in himself, you look at the other stats in his game and he’s, he’s doing a lot right, it’s just his finishing work,” Schmidt told The West Australian.

Waterman has had 75 shots on goal in 2026, yet has just 31 goals, going at 41.3% in front of the big sticks, and sits at number 10 on the Coleman Medal leaderboard.

In comparison Ben King, who leads the Coleman race with 41 majors, has had just 54 shots on goal at an accuracy of 75.9%.

In his breakout All-Australian campaign in 2024, Waterman booted 53.23 from 90 shots at an accuracy of 58.9%. In 2026, Waterman is only 15 shots behind his career-best tally.

There have also been questions around his goal-kicking since returning from shoulder surgery, which ended his 2025 campaign after just six games, and whether or not that is playing a role in his struggles.

Schmidt said there should be no reason this would have any effect on his goal kicking, unless it is mental.

“There’s enough staff in AFL clubs to be able to spend a bit of time with these players to be able to get their confidence back up and work on it a little bit more,” he said.

“Coming back from injury, I don’t think that should be an issue at all. Does it affect the mental side of it? Possibly it does, and then that can change the whole process.

“It’s trying to get back to it mentally and back to the routine side of it too.”

Schmidt said he believed Waterman’s issues were a mix of both mental demons and technique-based.

“There are sometimes where the ball drop can be slightly off, but the momentum then keeps the ball straighter because you’re moving through it rather than you can see him sort of fall off the kick a little bit,” he said to The West Australian.

“You could see the ball move and you need control in that ball drop but also momentum through the footy is almost your next vital piece in the technique is moving through it. The two key areas, number one would be ball drop and having control and then momentum through the footy towards the target, which is the goal umpire, not the actual goals.

“It’s just getting back to what works or what will work, and then just repetition so then he’s got confidence every time he marks it, that he then goes back and slots a goal.”

Sport Psychologist Shayne Hanks spoke to The West Australian regarding the theory side of ‘the yips’.

“Whether it’s golf or darts or footy, there are lots of different cases where the yips happen. It happens because people start to get worried about the ‘What if’s’ is what I call it,” he said.

“People call it overthinking, but it’s really worrying. At some point, he starts to worry about what if I miss this. And so that becomes. a big issue that then distracts from the actual correct ball drop.”

“The limbic system in our brain, it is an older part of the brain. It controls our emotions, processes our emotions, that sort of takes over a little bit because it’s worried that something bad’s going to happen.”

Tim Schmidt also said that it wasn’t just Waterman facing these issues.

“We’ve dealt with this from younger players but also with AFL players as well,” he said.

“I reckon a lot of players overcomplicate it, things like running out to the side because they’re worried about the person on the mark, then they have to hook across their body, they end up leaning back.

“Just trying to keep everything in line with the target and having momentum through the football. “

In her mid-season player ratings podcast special on The West Sport Show, former Eagle and ex-coach Danielle Laidley said the Eagles will be thrilled with his output despite the kicking woes.

“The amount of marks that he takes on a weekly basis, not because the ball is delivered to him on a platter, he works up the ground and all of a sudden he will be an outlet player coming out of defence and two kicks later he is marking the ball inside forward 50,” she said.

“His work-rate is enormous and he has built that up over a period of time.

“As supporters, you can get a little bit impatient, but his game is in extremely good order.