Medlock trying to get his groove back

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This article was published 19/07/2016 (3366 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Justin Medlock knows he needs to be better.

Through four games, the Bombers kicker has hit eight of his 12 field- goal attempts. It’s not a horrible start, but it’s still certainly not close to the standard Medlock, who signed for big money with the Bombers in the off-season after three years with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, has set for himself — or what the team expects from him. After all, he entered the season with the CFL’s most accurate foot, kicking at an 87.5 per cent clip all-time.

“The biggest thing is I’ve got to make that deep ball,” he said. “But as far as my punting and kickoffs go, I feel I’ve done well.”

Of the four kicks Medlock has missed this season, all have been from at least 47 yards out. It’s not that he can’t hit the long ball — he tied the Bombers’ franchise record with a 58-yard kick in the season opener against Montreal — it’s just he feels he hasn’t quite hit his rhythm in a game just yet.

That’s not exactly his fault, either. Like goalies in hockey, kickers are very peculiar when it comes to their craft. It’s a position where the mental game is equally important as being physically tough, meaning even the slightest alteration can throw a kicker off.

He’s already had to face a number of challenges this season, many of which were new to him. For example, in that first game against Montreal, Weston Dressler, his holder on field goals, was knocked out of the game midway through the first quarter, forcing him to use Matt Nichols as a backup, someone he had barely practised with.

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Against Hamilton in Week 3 — he didn’t have a kick in Week 2 against Calgary — Dressler, who was in his first game back from injury, forgot to come out for a kick. That forced a delay of game penalty, which pushed the kick back 10 yards. Medlock would eventually miss right, with Hamilton returning it for a touchdown. Last week, in the loss to Edmonton, it was a bad spot by the official. It wasn’t until seconds had already ticked off the clock he finally noticed his mistake, forcing him to move the ball a few yards, which Medlock said had him flustered.

“I just need to be mentally better for those things,” he said. “I feel like we’re getting into a groove and it’s just a matter of time before we get rolling.”

As for his new home, Medlock said he really likes Investors Group Field, adding it’s the main reason he decided to sign with Winnipeg. It’s much different than Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, a place known for unpredictable weather, particularly heavy winds that can sometimes make even a 40-yard kick impossible.

“I honestly came into last week feeling really good and comfortable,” said Medlock. “Now I’m hoping we can get a game-winner this season pretty soon.”

jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.catwitter: @jeffkhamilton

Jeff Hamilton
Multimedia producer

Jeff Hamilton is a sports and investigative reporter. Jeff joined the Free Press newsroom in April 2015, and has been covering the local sports scene since graduating from Carleton University’s journalism program in 2012. Read more about Jeff.

Every piece of reporting Jeff produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.