I can’t be sure of this as I’ve been off my footy this year and haven’t watched too many games, but the torp hasn’t had much of a presence.
Indeed, I can’t think of one eye catching moment where someone has hit the sweet spot on the Sherrin and powered one longer than 70 metres.
That is a terrible shame, as the game is a much better spectacle with the torp as part of its landscape.
Wouldn’t it be great if we could find a way to accommodate the torp more often? Especially by having our game’s best torp-spiralling talent at the helm.
You know those instances where the siren has gone and someone had just taken a mark, or got a free and they’re about 60 to 80 metres from goal?
We have four instances where this can happen each game, and you get it every other game. The player goes back and takes the kick, but rarely does anything come of it, does it? You rarely get a score, or drama, or even a perfectly executed kick.
The players keep going back to take these kicks regardless, as it’s a throw of the dice that costs nothing.
This is already a part of the game and one that rarely has a pay off, so why not try invigorate it with something? Why not introduce a rule where the team is allowed a designated player to take the kick?
Namely, their ‘Torp Specialist’.
The ‘Torp Specialist’ would be a player in the 22 who would have to kick a torp and only a torp in that scenario. Can you imagine the drama in our stadiums when Essendon are four points down at the final siren and Dustin Fletcher is called from his fullback position to power a torp from 70 metres?
Better still, going forward, Fletcher would have been practicing his torps all summer for just such an occasion. His coaches would have worked with him to find the Sherrin’s sweet spot, to extract a little more yardage and to tame the torp’s erratic nature – as opposed to furrowing their brows over mucking around with torps as happens now.
As Fletcher lines up, everyone in the stadium would be looking on in awe. We know we’re about to see someone who knows the torp inside out; a skilled practitioner who is capable of the miraculous.
Fletcher then kicks and whop-bam-ba-lupa, it goes through post high. Essendon win, the stadium’s roof blows off, and Carlton fans go home filthy that it all stemmed from the softest of softest frees. It would be the most marvelous drama – the Mick Malthouse press conference would be, at the very least
Each team would have two or three of these specialists, and I can envisage them spending as much time on perfecting their torps as any other skill.
Wouldn’t that be the most wonderful, heartening thing? The torp being practiced again with a real purpose; brought back from the brink of extinction like the Rhino and the Whale.
I’m sure even the most hardened of footy hearts would soften at the thought. And my great lament is that I didn’t think of it while Mal Blight was still around.
Bill C
Guest
Some of those kicks go at least 70m, why todays coaches don't get players to use it instead of the short, high possession, high risk strategies that are used currently, is a mystery. Sheep mentality maybe. Once one starts the rest might follow.
Peter Zitterschlager
Roar Guru
Out the stadium, from the goal square? I like where you goin with that Gecko.
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
The torp is a decent solution to teams who try and flood the backline.
Floyd Calhoun
Guest
Great post Andy_Roo. The torp ain't dead yet!
AdamS
Roar Guru
yeh, find a way to save the drop pass and while you are at it, the handball. A proper handball punched from a stationary hand. Don't think any of these guys would have been getting a years supply of 4n20 pies and Big M from Lou on a Sunday morning...
Gecko
Guest
What about all set shots from within the goal square have to be torps, and you get 9 points if the ball ends up outside the stadium?
Andy_Roo
Roar Guru
check these out on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vs9umJn8b8w Its an awesome kick and a great skill but I don't think a designated kicker is the way to go. All players should be able to kick a torp, or should at least practice it for that after-the-siren shot
Floyd Calhoun
Guest
I recall Chris Newman nailing a torp goal from 10m within the centre square against Freo in 2007. Could not have timed it more perfectly. It was on the verge of quarter time, so it wasnt a time for passing or drop punts to the goal square. Only a torp can travel that far, and not many can do it these days. Even if they were allowed to. A bit sad really.
Ando
Guest
That said, being able to designate kickers for goal would be one way to have 100-goal-a-season goal kickers again.
Bill C
Guest
I've seen the screwy used a couple of times this year when kicking out after a behind has been scored and if I recall correctly it was very effective. The ball ended up near the centre, well out of the immediate danger zone and was as good or better than many pitiful attempts at short passing out of the backline. There should be a rule that all kicks from the backline are to be torpedos, or screwys (which is the correct term imo) and all kicks from the centre are droppys. In fact, the rules should stipulate that a drop punt can only be used when kicking for goal.
Floyd Calhoun
Guest
I think Fletcher is at an age when the torpedo is the best way to get the ball as far away from the back line as quickly as possible. Can't blame him for that.
Gregor
Guest
Oh and I think it's hare-brained,because hares are crazy-in the Spring
Gregor
Guest
You'd have to think Hurn is the most regular accurate long kick at the moment, drop punt though.What would he do with a torp?
Peter Zitterschlager
Roar Guru
Hey Stavros Couldn't agree more that all players being under scrutiny for their goal kicking is a great facet of aussie rules. But this is a little different mate. I'm only talking about this little quirk in our game: the kick after the siren from over 60's yards. Nothing much ever seems to come from it, but nevertheless, it's a roll of the dice that cost nothing, so players always take the kick. If my rule change were adopted it would an extra dimension to this scenario. You'd have a player taking the kick who could very well pull it off. I reckon that would really add value to something that quite clearly is one of the most underwhelming characteristics of our game. Also, it seemed to me that if you went this way it'd be a really good opportunity to reserve this facet for the torp. And really, isn't it just tailor made for the torp? Kicks from 60 to 70 odd yards out just like Malcolm Blights famous princess park torp. Again, I reckon it would really add value to something that is already part of the game (and something that rarely delivers anything exciting.)
Jack Smith
Roar Guru
I don't think they were proper torps, but long kicks from Derickx and Rampe in one of our recent wins both goals. 60m+ goals. Fletcher will have one good torp usually a game. Love him for it.
Big Steve
Guest
We made a rule in our club side that everyone has to attempt a torp atleast once per game. While i concede lower grade AFL in sydney doesn't have the same stakesas the AFL it would make the games interesting towards the end when players havent completed their requirement attempt. Sort of like compulsory pit stops in motorsport.
Axle an the guru
Guest
Alive and strong this year? Are you talking about your local comp Hentec. Can you tell me who else regularly uses the torp apart from Fletcher? And I'm not talking just a long bomb mongrel punt, a decent torpedo.
Axle an the guru
Guest
Fletcher seems to be the only one that knows what a torpedo is. When he finally retires the torpedo may well drift into the history books with the drop kick,stab kick, an the banana is also gone aswell. They all seem to be handball junkies nowerdays. I even saw a bloke handball it to someone that had there back to them last wk. i dont agree with this designator kicker rubbish.
kennoth
Guest
...and what about the when all full-backs used a drop kick to kick in. A lovely ball to mark that high spinning drop !
Stavros
Guest
Having a designated kicker would be a terrible idea. I like the fact that in footy, all players face the scrutiny of kicking goals from a set shot, unlike sports like soccer.