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Torpedo Punt

Jumping Jack Clennett
in Melbourne Demons

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21 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

Am surprised no team has used them for kick outs.

This is the double-edge sword that we used to play with, as a team, back in the days when men were men and footy was part of that process. Kick out from a point (behind, my Rs) with a torp and convey into the fwd line (anywhere) with a drop punt and/or stab pass. 

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    11 minutes ago, Jumping Jack Clennett said:

    Is it on You-Tube!?

    Many years ago, Mate. Many, many years ago. Probably before colour TV, too. 

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    Kicking a torpedo is like callow youth trying too hard to score with the opposite sex. Nearly always a big embarrassing fail. Torps work better when a kicker is under no real pressure and does not try to kick the ball over the moon. Let it come natural. Same for drop kicks. In the modern pressure cooker game not a high percentage  tactic unfortunately. When I was young  I could kick a 60 metre drop kick casually with little effort during practice. During a game the man on the mark would more likely swallow the ball if I tried it.

    Edited by america de cali

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    5 minutes ago, america de cali said:

    Kicking a torpedo is like callow youth trying too hard to score with the opposite sex. Nearly always a big embarrassing fail. Torps work better when a kicker is under no real pressure and does not try to kick the ball over the moon. Let it come natural. Same for drop kicks. In the modern pressure cooker game not a high percentage  tactic unfortunately.

    Not all youth is callow. There is a place for an exponent of worth. 

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    I have been watching footy since the late 50s and cannot recall a demon using torpedos as first choice to kick in from a point. Maybe in wet conditions only but on a dry day the best kick ins were all with drop kicks.

    Tassie Johnson and Bernie Massey in the seniors and the masterful Phil Rhoden in the ressies for those of us who came a bit earlier. Rhoden was surely the only player in the history of the game to be considered for selection in the seniors for his kicking alone - he was that good with a drop kick. But not good enough to be selected for the seniors and played nearly all his career in the ressies.

    In the bad old days, watching Phil was the greatest pleasure we had. To use a true footy expression, he was the best exponent of the drop kick I ever saw.

     

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