Porthos
29 Dec 2002, 20:39
Looking through my hard drive and came across this beauty from the old AFL website - its amazing how much football has changed in just two years.
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Power's midfield snipers show way to beat defensive flooding
By Darren Cartwright
Saturday, March 24, 2001
PORT Adelaide have perfected a method to overcome defensive flooding, according to two of the most astute coaches in the AFL, Brisbane's Leigh Matthews and Western Bulldogs' Terry Wallace.
The Power's eight-goal match-winning second term in last Saturday night's Ansett Cup grand final against the Lions was a lesson to all clubs in how to overcome the best-laid defensive plans.
Their objective was to provide a couple of midfielders, with sniper accuracy from 50m and beyond, with a licence to shoot at goal at will.
Highly skilful pair Stuart Dew and Fabian Francis rendered Brisbane's defence redundant with a series of long-range goals that broke open the game and the Lions' spirit.
Seven of the Power's eight second-quarter goals, six of which were produced by Dew and Francis, were kicked from beyond 50m.
''They didn't earn one possession in their forward 50m in the second quarter, yet they kicked eight goals,'' Matthews said.
''What they did do was find a way to go over the top and once you do that there is little any defence can do, even if you're flooding.''
Dew and Francis effectively operated as football's equivalent to basketball's three-point shooters such as Andrew Gaze.
Instead of trying to work the ball inside 50m and create a close-range set shot, they would run through the midfield, accept a handpass and unload from outside 50m.
''In basketball the best way to break down any zone is to shoot three-pointers,'' said Wallace, who brought about Essendon's only defeat last season through defensive flooding.
''It's the same in football. If you have guys like Dew, who is highly underrated, and Francis kicking goals like that, then you break down any flood.''
Few, if any sides, possess one-strike midfielders.
In Dew and Francis, the Power have two classy ''go-to'' midfielders able to win matches off their own boot.
Wallace believes that if flooding is here to stay, then clubs will start selecting pinch-hitting midfielders who can fire a ball accurately from 60m on the run.
''Sides are getting to the stage where they are going to have to pick specialists or designated kickers,'' Wallace said.
Matthews ruled out key position players being his prototype for a designated ''three-point'' kicker, preferring a pacy medium-sized midfielder.
''You can't use a key position player as he will always have a defender on his tail,'' Matthews said.
''What you need is a midfielder able to get on his own and kick long and accurate.
''There are very few players in the competition who are capable of doing that.''
Matthews rates Michael Voss his best option.
Looks like Lethal already told us his 2003 Wizard Cup strategy two years ago!
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Power's midfield snipers show way to beat defensive flooding
By Darren Cartwright
Saturday, March 24, 2001
PORT Adelaide have perfected a method to overcome defensive flooding, according to two of the most astute coaches in the AFL, Brisbane's Leigh Matthews and Western Bulldogs' Terry Wallace.
The Power's eight-goal match-winning second term in last Saturday night's Ansett Cup grand final against the Lions was a lesson to all clubs in how to overcome the best-laid defensive plans.
Their objective was to provide a couple of midfielders, with sniper accuracy from 50m and beyond, with a licence to shoot at goal at will.
Highly skilful pair Stuart Dew and Fabian Francis rendered Brisbane's defence redundant with a series of long-range goals that broke open the game and the Lions' spirit.
Seven of the Power's eight second-quarter goals, six of which were produced by Dew and Francis, were kicked from beyond 50m.
''They didn't earn one possession in their forward 50m in the second quarter, yet they kicked eight goals,'' Matthews said.
''What they did do was find a way to go over the top and once you do that there is little any defence can do, even if you're flooding.''
Dew and Francis effectively operated as football's equivalent to basketball's three-point shooters such as Andrew Gaze.
Instead of trying to work the ball inside 50m and create a close-range set shot, they would run through the midfield, accept a handpass and unload from outside 50m.
''In basketball the best way to break down any zone is to shoot three-pointers,'' said Wallace, who brought about Essendon's only defeat last season through defensive flooding.
''It's the same in football. If you have guys like Dew, who is highly underrated, and Francis kicking goals like that, then you break down any flood.''
Few, if any sides, possess one-strike midfielders.
In Dew and Francis, the Power have two classy ''go-to'' midfielders able to win matches off their own boot.
Wallace believes that if flooding is here to stay, then clubs will start selecting pinch-hitting midfielders who can fire a ball accurately from 60m on the run.
''Sides are getting to the stage where they are going to have to pick specialists or designated kickers,'' Wallace said.
Matthews ruled out key position players being his prototype for a designated ''three-point'' kicker, preferring a pacy medium-sized midfielder.
''You can't use a key position player as he will always have a defender on his tail,'' Matthews said.
''What you need is a midfielder able to get on his own and kick long and accurate.
''There are very few players in the competition who are capable of doing that.''
Matthews rates Michael Voss his best option.
Looks like Lethal already told us his 2003 Wizard Cup strategy two years ago!