Flooding (Australian football)
Encyclopedia
Flooding is a tactic used in the sport of Australian rules football
. It involves the coach releasing players in the forward line from their set positions and directing them to the opposition forward area, congesting the area and making it more difficult for the opposition to score. It is commonly deployed to protect a lead, or prevent a rout. This is possible due to the lack of an offside rule or similar restrictions on players field movements.
This tactic is very similar to the Blanket Defence tactic in Gaelic football
which has become prevalent since the late 1990s. Pioneered mainly by Ulster
counties such as Tyrone and Armagh and is often combined with an exposed two main full-forward so that there are essentially two forwards deep in attack and all other players more deeply positioned in defence.
The extreme defensive tactic is often bemoaned by spectators and generally regarded as "ugly" football.
in 1858, there were no rules regarding player positions. Even today the rules only declare that a maximum of four per side is allowed in the centre square at the ball-up (ruck, rover, ruck-rover and centre), with all other players free to position themselves as they see fit. In early years this resulted in a pack of players moving with the ball up and down the field trying to get a clearing kick into space that the pack would then run into and repeat the process. Such a process is still evident in some junior leagues (the under 8 years old children) and is known as "beehive football". It was not until 1898 that player positions became regular thanks to Essendon
's now famous positions of players around the field. The positioning provided many lopsided contests against teams trying to play pack football, such as beating St Kilda 10.11 (71) to 1.9 (15) on July 23 and Melbourne
11.9 (75) to 2.8 (20) on August 1 in 1898. Other teams mimicked the idea and the "lines of three" quickly became, and still is, the norm.
One of the earliest records of flooding comes from an 1860s match between Geelong captain coached by Tom Wills
and Ballarat Football Club
in Ballarat. Facing a severe loss against a stronger team, Wills ordered every player into the backline. The Ballarat fans yelled abuse. Melbourne Football Club later successfully copied the tactic.
In VFL football times, the 1909 VFL Grand Final
in which South Melbourne
, mindful of a Carlton
side which beat them in round 11 after trailing 0.11 to South's 4.4 at half-time, packed the arc in the Grand Final after half time to thwart Carlton's advance. South won the final by two points.
Over the years many teams have put extra men in the defensive 50 metre zone to stifle attacks, usually to stop great full-forwards or protect a lead. It was not uncommon for forwards such as Gordon Coventry
, John Coleman, Tony Lockett
, Jason Dunstall
and Gary Ablett, Sr., among others, to be seen fighting off three defenders to take a mark. Flooding the defensive zone outright was a rarity due to the level of endurance required from the entire team. However it was used defensively on occasion to avoid a rout.
became the Sydney Swans
head coach in 1996. In order to give star forward Tony Lockett
the most room on the small Sydney Cricket Ground
he had the team play an extra "line of three" in defence when the opposition had the ball, creating a set-up with 9 defenders, 6 midfielders and three forwards. The idea was to create a forced error and turn-over, followed by swift movement to Lockett who had ample space to lead into. This was similar to Denis Pagan
's "Pagan's Paddock" which gave Wayne Carey
wide space to manoeuvre in. The Swans used this tactic to great effect in 1996, reaching the Grand Final, and in the subsequent years.
became infamous for the "superflood" that he employed in the Round 21 game between the Western Bulldogs
and Essendon at Colonial Stadium in 2000. Wallace successfully quelled the Bombers' scoring power and defeated the team which had won the previous 20 games http://www.essendonfc.com.au/matches/report.asp?yr=2000&round_no=21 by playing 14 of the 18 men on the field in the defensive zone for the entirety of the game, and often with all 18 players taking up positions in the 50 metre arc.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
. It involves the coach releasing players in the forward line from their set positions and directing them to the opposition forward area, congesting the area and making it more difficult for the opposition to score. It is commonly deployed to protect a lead, or prevent a rout. This is possible due to the lack of an offside rule or similar restrictions on players field movements.
This tactic is very similar to the Blanket Defence tactic in Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
which has become prevalent since the late 1990s. Pioneered mainly by Ulster
Ulster GAA
The Ulster Council is a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, and handball in the province of Ulster. The headquarters of the Ulster GAA is based in Armagh City....
counties such as Tyrone and Armagh and is often combined with an exposed two main full-forward so that there are essentially two forwards deep in attack and all other players more deeply positioned in defence.
The extreme defensive tactic is often bemoaned by spectators and generally regarded as "ugly" football.
History
When Australian Football took to the parks around the colony of VictoriaVictoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
in 1858, there were no rules regarding player positions. Even today the rules only declare that a maximum of four per side is allowed in the centre square at the ball-up (ruck, rover, ruck-rover and centre), with all other players free to position themselves as they see fit. In early years this resulted in a pack of players moving with the ball up and down the field trying to get a clearing kick into space that the pack would then run into and repeat the process. Such a process is still evident in some junior leagues (the under 8 years old children) and is known as "beehive football". It was not until 1898 that player positions became regular thanks to Essendon
Essendon Football Club
The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
's now famous positions of players around the field. The positioning provided many lopsided contests against teams trying to play pack football, such as beating St Kilda 10.11 (71) to 1.9 (15) on July 23 and Melbourne
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
11.9 (75) to 2.8 (20) on August 1 in 1898. Other teams mimicked the idea and the "lines of three" quickly became, and still is, the norm.
One of the earliest records of flooding comes from an 1860s match between Geelong captain coached by Tom Wills
Tom Wills
Thomas Wentworth "Tom" Wills was an Australian all-round sportsman, umpire, coach and administrator who is credited with being a catalyst towards the invention of Australian rules football....
and Ballarat Football Club
Ballarat Football Club
The Ballarat Football Club competes in the Ballarat Football League in the Ballarat region of Victoria, Australia. The club, nicknamed the Swans, has a history dating back to 1860. Ballarat once competed in the Victorian Football Association....
in Ballarat. Facing a severe loss against a stronger team, Wills ordered every player into the backline. The Ballarat fans yelled abuse. Melbourne Football Club later successfully copied the tactic.
In VFL football times, the 1909 VFL Grand Final
1909 VFL Grand Final
The 1909 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Carlton Football Club and South Melbourne Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 2 October 1909. It was the 12th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine...
in which South Melbourne
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
, mindful of a Carlton
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
side which beat them in round 11 after trailing 0.11 to South's 4.4 at half-time, packed the arc in the Grand Final after half time to thwart Carlton's advance. South won the final by two points.
Over the years many teams have put extra men in the defensive 50 metre zone to stifle attacks, usually to stop great full-forwards or protect a lead. It was not uncommon for forwards such as Gordon Coventry
Gordon Coventry
Gordon "Nuts" Coventry was an Australian rules footballer who played for Collingwood Football Club in the Victorian Football League . With 1,299 goals over 18 seasons, Coventry remains one of the greatest full forwards the game has ever seen...
, John Coleman, Tony Lockett
Tony Lockett
Anthony Howard "Tony" Lockett is a former Australian rules football player. Lockett is the highest goal scorer in the history of the VFL/AFL with 1,360 goals in a career of 281 games, that commenced in 1983 with the St Kilda Football Club, and finished in 2002 with the Sydney Swans...
, Jason Dunstall
Jason Dunstall
Jason Hadfield Dunstall is a former Australian rules football player for the Hawthorn Football Club of the AFL. He is the third greatest goalkicker in the history of the VFL/AFL. Dunstall is regarded as one of the greatest full-forwards to have ever played, kicking 1254 goals, a feat only...
and Gary Ablett, Sr., among others, to be seen fighting off three defenders to take a mark. Flooding the defensive zone outright was a rarity due to the level of endurance required from the entire team. However it was used defensively on occasion to avoid a rout.
Flooding in modern professional football
As football at the elite level increased in professionalism and athleticism, the practice increased.As an offensive tactic
Flooding first became an offensive tactic when Rodney EadeRodney Eade
Rodney "Rocket" Eade is a former Australian rules footballer and the former coach of the Sydney Swans and Western Bulldogs in the Australian Football League...
became the Sydney Swans
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
head coach in 1996. In order to give star forward Tony Lockett
Tony Lockett
Anthony Howard "Tony" Lockett is a former Australian rules football player. Lockett is the highest goal scorer in the history of the VFL/AFL with 1,360 goals in a career of 281 games, that commenced in 1983 with the St Kilda Football Club, and finished in 2002 with the Sydney Swans...
the most room on the small Sydney Cricket Ground
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
he had the team play an extra "line of three" in defence when the opposition had the ball, creating a set-up with 9 defenders, 6 midfielders and three forwards. The idea was to create a forced error and turn-over, followed by swift movement to Lockett who had ample space to lead into. This was similar to Denis Pagan
Denis Pagan
Denis Pagan is a former Australian rules football coach and player in the VFL/AFL. He is current coach of Northern Knights in TAC Cup.-Playing career:...
's "Pagan's Paddock" which gave Wayne Carey
Wayne Carey
Wayne Carey is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the North Melbourne and Adelaide Football Clubs in the Australian Football League ....
wide space to manoeuvre in. The Swans used this tactic to great effect in 1996, reaching the Grand Final, and in the subsequent years.
As a defensive tactic
Terry WallaceTerry Wallace
Terry Wallace is a former professional Australian rules football player and coach.As a player, his career spanned three VFL/AFL clubs; most notably Hawthorn where he played in three premierships as well as achieving All-Australian selection, and two Best and Fairests with the Footscray Football Club...
became infamous for the "superflood" that he employed in the Round 21 game between the Western Bulldogs
Western Bulldogs
The Western Bulldogs are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based at the Whitten Oval in West Footscray, an inner-western suburb of Melbourne...
and Essendon at Colonial Stadium in 2000. Wallace successfully quelled the Bombers' scoring power and defeated the team which had won the previous 20 games http://www.essendonfc.com.au/matches/report.asp?yr=2000&round_no=21 by playing 14 of the 18 men on the field in the defensive zone for the entirety of the game, and often with all 18 players taking up positions in the 50 metre arc.