Almost every Brit thinks they can kick a ball and to be fair to them they can - as long as it's round.  Kicking an Aussie Rules ball is very, very different and takes an awful lot of practice to get right.  A kicked ball will always travel faster than one in the hands, so learning this skill is vital.  There are loads of different types of kicking, but there are several techniques which will really help you to send the ball exactly where you want it.

If you are kicking the ball normally you should try to point it straight down.  Line your body up with where you want it to go and keep your head over the ball.  Take a few steps and drop the ball onto your foot.  This is where most things go wrong, with players letting go of the ball far too early - the closer to your foot you can release the ball the better, as there is far less chance of kicking the wrong part of the ball and watching it spin away.  Always follow through on your kick as well, and try to get into the habit of pointing your toes in the direction you are aiming as it helps to keep the entire kicking routine consistent.

Practice over shorter distances and get confident before moving to longer drop punts - kicking long is a useful skill to have but not one which can be learnt overnight.