Shute Shield rugby union: The secret behind the success of Wildfires super boot Connor Winchester

Not only has Winchester made the Wildfires No.10 jumper his own, the 24-year-old has emerged as the best goal-kicker in the Shute Shield.

Winchester converted a perfect four-from-four, including a late 42-metre penalty, to secure the Wildfires a 16-14 triumph over Sydney University at home on Saturday.

Saturday's heroics was nothing new. Winchester has been banging goals over from everywhere as the Wildfires have surged up the ladder. The rangy play-maker has converted 41 of 47 attempts at 87 per cent. Penalties have been almost an automatic three points, raising the flags 10 times from 11 shots at 91 per cent.

"In a competition where defences are so well structured, taking points when on offer is crucial," Coleman said.

Winchester puts his success rate down to confidence, which comes from repetition and trust in his routine.

"As the year has progressed, the more reps you get in, the more confident you feel," he said. "I won't have 1000 shots at goal a week. It is about making sure the contact is good with the ball.

"I kick before training Tuesday and before and after training Thursday. Early in the year, I missed a couple of easy shots so I did an extra session on a Wednesday afternoon. If I am feeling good I won't kick as much."

A pre-season session with Newcastle-based Wallabies and NRL club kicking coach Damien Hill also helped.

"He really helped with the psychological side of things," Winchester said. "Focusing on a couple of key points rather than overthinking it. That is what I tend to do if I am in a rut. He helped me clear my head."

Winchester's routine is very simply. For most kicks, he takes two steps and kicks though the ball.

"I try and maximise contact with the ball," he said. "It is not so much the run-up. If I am more than 15 metre in-field I take a two-step approach. If it is 40 or 50 metres out, I will do a four or five step to get momentum into the ball. Other than that it is about being accurate. If it is a still day, I back myself from 50 metres. If there is wind behind me I will go beyond that."

Winchester is in his second season with the Wildfires. He had spent the five previous, including two in colts, in Sydney at Norths.

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Although born in Newcastle, he grew up in Lennox Head, the home town of Wisemantel.

"Scott is a great guy and had a chat to me about my footy," Winchester said. "I had been at Norths for five years and wasn't progressing. He pointed out that the definition of insanity was doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. He thought it was time for me to move on and spoke to Bubba (Coleman) about me."

As well as a being high-percentage goal-kicker, Winchester has a booming boot in general play and is growing as a playmaker and game manager.

"He can kick it 70 metres on the fly and is starting to come into his own in organising and directing us around," Coleman said. "When Scotty Wisemantel first spoke to me, he said Connor was dedicated, had lots of potential and just needed to learn the game. He is the first to training and last to leave. I can't fault him."

Coleman has named an unchanged team for the trip to TG Millner Field on Saturday, who sit Wildfires are on the road to Eastwood, who sit two spots above the seventh-placed vistors.

However, there is some doubts over prop Nick Dobson (head cut).

Dobson, after having 12 stitches inserted midway through the game, had further corrective work done by a plastic surgeon on Monday.

"Dobbo's head is pretty swollen," Coleman said. "The cut is up near his hairline. Hopefully he will be right."

Coleman is still awaiting a clearance for Fijian Drua back-rower to play off the bench.

"We are expecting an email from the Fijian Rugby Union. Joe would certainly gives us a lot off the bench," Coleman said.

Wildfires: 1 Isi Fukofuka, 2 Phil Bradford, 3 Nick Dobson, 4 Ngarhue Jones, 5 Rob Puli'uvea, 6 Norgan Innes, 7 Donny Freeman, 8 Lona Halohola, 9 Nick Murray, 10 Connor Winchester, 11 Isaac Ulberg, 12 Winston Wilson, 13 Tom Watson, 14 Jed Englert, 15 Will Feeney

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