Mick Malthouse led Collingwood to the premiership in 2010 on the back of the best forward half pressure in the competition, and the mastermind behind the press admitted he modelled the tactic on two European soccer giants.
The Pies averaged 74 tackles a game that season and led the competition in that statistic, although Malthouse said it wasn't just a plan constructed that season, but instead had been years in the making.
“Plans rarely are done the year you win the premiership. In our case we started looking at it in 2007 with an increase in rotations. The end result was a premiership which we won in 2010," he said on SEN's Pure Footy on Thursday.
"I watched a bit of Barcelona, and a hell of a lot of Manchester United in that time. Their idea was the press sides into their scoring zone and score one before half-time and another in the second half...and you don’t lose from there. It made me wonder if I could do it with an AFL side.”
The three-time premiership coach said their plan worked so well because it was one devised to suit all AFL ground sizes.
“Our game is so unique with the grounds being different sizes. We had to make a plan that we could take everywhere and not say ‘oh boys we can’t play our plan this week because we’re on the SCG'."
