Torpedo punt

Torpedo punt

The torpedo punt, similar to a punt in American Football, is a kicking technique implemented in Australian rules football, rugby union and rugby league to enhance the distance the ball is kicked.

The ball spins about its long axis instead of end over end (as the drop punt does), making the flight of the ball more aerodynamic, but more difficult to mark. The pointier ends make the ball easier to catch in American Football. With extra distance, this type of kick is also more difficult to accurately judge depth. If kicked correctly, an Australian Football can travel up to 80 metres, while a drop punt will travel slightly less far. It depends much more on the kicking ability of the kicker, as opposed to the type of punt used, as to determine how far a ball will travel.

The skill was once frequently applied as clearing kicks by players in the backline and for long distance goal kicking. Its use in the rugby codes in similarly related almost entirely to clearing and distance kicks from a team's own territory. From the 1980s, more prevalent use of the drop punt for accurate field kicking led to Australian Football League coaches discouraging the use of the torpedo in general field play as a comparatively "low percentage" kick. It is now seldom used, with the exception of occasional shots for goal after the siren and to avert the tactic of flooding, and sometimes set kicks from full-back.

Other Names

The Torpedo Punt has also been known as torpedo, torp, barrel, torey, screw punt, spiral punt and spiral. The phrase "to unload a torp" is perhaps the most common colloquialism in Australian football vernacular for executing a torpedo punt.

Modern Exponents

Some of the best modern exponents of the torpedo punt in Australian Football include:

Current Players

* Anthony Rocca - Collingwood Football Club
* David Wirrpanda - West Coast Eagles
* Shannon Hurn - West Coast Eagles
* Quinten Lynch - West Coast Eagles
* Byron Pickett - Melbourne Football Club
* Paul Wheatley - Melbourne Football Club
* Dustin Fletcher - Essendon Football Club
* Brett Deledio - Richmond Football Club
* Brendan Goddard - St Kilda Football Club
* Scott Lucas - Essendon Football Club
* Chris Newman - Richmond Football Club
* Brendon Lade - Port Adelaide Football Club

Past Players

* Saverio Rocca - Collingwood Football Club / Kangaroos Football Club / Philadelphia Eagles
* Ben Graham - Geelong Football Club / New York Jets
* Darren Bennett - Melbourne Football Club / San Diego Chargers / Minnesota Vikings
* Malcolm Blight - Kangaroos Football Club
* Derek Kickett - Essendon Football Club
* Bernie Quinlan - Fitzroy Football Club
* Nicky Winmar - St Kilda Football Club
* Stuart Dew - Port Adelaide Football Club
* Jim Jess - Richmond Football Club
* Andrew Krakoer - Richmond Football Club

ee also

* Grubber kick
* Bomb kick
* Drop kick
* Drop punt (Australian Rules Football)
* Punt (American football)
* Checkside punt
* Snap kick

External links

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OMxe-_fstk YouTube video of Brendon Goddard's torpedo punt v Freo, Subiaco 2006]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHS0zA51LBI Youtube video of Peter Riccardi kicking a 70 metre torpedo punt kick at Kardinia Park in Geelong]


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