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AS SET shots for goal go, Lindsay Thomas has rarely faced a more pressured one than that confronting him at the 29-minute mark of North Melbourne's clash with Adelaide at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
After going 48 points up at the seven-minute mark of the third quarter, the Kangaroos had seen their lead cut to just 22 points by a Crows' run of four consecutive goals.
Thomas knew how important it was to stop the surge, having been part of the North team that relinquished a 32-point last-term lead to lose to Port Adelaide in round eight.
And, as anyone with more than a passing interest in football knows, Thomas has occasionally been gripped by goalkicking yips in the past two seasons.
But the small forward told AFL.com.au after Sunday's game he was confident as he lined up the crucial set shot.
"I have been practising a lot and I was pretty confident," Thomas said.
"There's a lot been said about my goalkicking but it doesn't worry me as long as my teammates and the coaching staff back me.
"I was pretty confident I was going to kick it and luckily enough it went in."
You suspect Thomas' hard work on the training track had more to do with his goal than luck, especially when he had earlier converted another testing set shot late in the second quarter.
That goal ended up being the last score before half-time and gave the Roos a 41-point lead.
Thomas, who finished with three goals, said despite his increased confidence in front of the sticks he knew it was something he had to continue to work hard on at training.
After Sunday's game, North coach Brad Scott praised Thomas' efforts to conquer his goalkicking demons.
"It comes back to hard work and we haven't hidden Lindsay away from his challenges in front of goal and we keep putting him front and centre and we keep working with him and he's building resilience each week he goes out there and plays," Scott said.
"Given the state of the game [and] given Adelaide had had a pretty good quarter, it was really pleasing that he could go back, take the pressure and kick the goal."
VIDEOS: On the counter | 1st half highlights | Tarrant goes checkside | Bastinac running goal | Match highlights | Press conference | Join in the chorus | Bastinac, Atley, Adams interviews
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