Superboots set for battle of the barrels

THE bloopers from wannabe superboots might well outweigh the barrels, but finding Geelong’s longest kick could well be serious business.

More than 100 footy players have registered for the regional qualifier of the 2018 Carlton Draught Barrel Time tomorrow, where they will get three chances to show off with nothing to lose.

Anglesea’s Jordan Erskine is known for his ability to unleash from a distance and plans to head to East Geelong’s Richmond Cres between 10am-4pm for the rare opportunity to see just how far he can go.

“I think when people try to kick it as far as they can, I guess that’s when it goes a bit pearshaped and you get a couple of shanks and whatnot,” he said.

Erskine said he hadn’t tested his limits with a Sherrin, al- though he knew he could punt a pigskin at least 64m.

A window to the NFL was once illuminated on a holiday to the US, when “a friend of a friend” organised a visit to the New York Giants’ training facility, where he picked up some tips from the club’s punting coach.

“I did do a bit of a punting course years ago and I kicked it 70 yards (64m) with a gridiron ball,” Erskine said.

“We went out to their stadi- um and I was having a bit of a kick-around and one of their punting coaches was there at the time.

“It was something I was half-keen on doing and was getting a few pointers and got hold of one.”

This year is the first time the competition has hosted regional qualifiers. Geelong’s top three will join the top finishers from Gippsland, Bendigo and Melbourne qualifiers at quarter-time of an MCG Friday night game later this AFL season. The overall winner will earn prizes for his club and visit the US to test their punting potential in a bid to follow in the footsteps of 2015 winner Dane Roy, who signed to the University of Houston.

Erskine said teammates Dyson Bell-Warren and Jordan Harrison could rate themselves a chance, but tipped Adam Donohue from BFL rival Geelong Amateur to feature highly.