Rugby Player - Coule one be useful??

The Passenger

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No, don't drop your jaw just yet....I'm not talking as a player rather a coach to help us with what is clearly our major weakness - the defensive side of our game.

And the first part to defence, is tackling, which is where we seem to be struggling.

And although I dont like to use stats in footy, we are very low (15th out of 16 clubs) down on the list of tackles made this year.

I've had plenty of rugby background, played for 8 seasons, as well as 6 for Aussie Rules, and I've found that having played Rugby and being taugh how to tackle has been better for my Aussie Rules than just about anything else.

I just think it would be worthwhile if we looked to try and pick up a former rugby or rugby league player to come in and actually coach our guys how to tackle.

Even teams which make plenty of tackles could do with this, because tackling in rugby is much harder and is desinged to hurt and/or tire the opposition players, whereas tackling in Aussie Rules is more desinged to stop movement off the ball.

Even if we don't make many tackles, if we had a more League/Union style of front-on "hard" tackling, it tires the opposition much quicker and makes the not want the ball.

I reckon it's definetaly something we should look into, and I honestly don't see how it can hurt the club.
 

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The Passenger

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Originally posted by noodle
i don't know that much about ruckby but isn't the tackling a little different to our game?
yes it is - its with the shoulder driving into the opposing player, rather than grabbing them ball and all as is the case on Aussie Rules.

My point is that Rugby player tackle with the intention to hurt the opposition*** or tire them out.

***by hurt I dont mean try to break their bones etc,. I mean to bruise them and make the feel like they don't wanna go near the ball.

This is something that any Aussie Rules team would love to have, a team that is going to really get stuck into the opposition with their tackling.
 

eagleskickass

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#4
It has merrit. It is possible to fairly tackle a bloke in a rugby style and that sort of hard tackling is what Brisbane used to do well actually. Chick often does it IMO. Put simply it isnt just a grab to stop them going, its a real hard foreceful "fair" way of making them think twice about getting the ball next time. Could be an idea that could work effectively and at the very least teach the players how to tackle a little harder/more efficient.
 

Voice of Reason

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#5
I don't like the way Brisbane tackle. They seem to twist the body and throw, rather like Alfie Langer got into trouble for doing in Rugby League a few years ago. The Scott thugs never seem to get cited.

Your rugby idea is a pretty clever one, not that we're blessed with many experts in either code in WA.
 

The Passenger

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Originally posted by Voice of Reason


Your rugby idea is a pretty clever one, not that we're blessed with many experts in either code in WA.
thats true, but I dont think it would be too difficult to lure an ex first grade league player from the eastern states to enjoy life away from the game, away from the spotlight and help out an AFL club.
 

wattie

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#7
I think it's a great idea, 95% of tackles in rugby would be legal in Aussie rules, the only exceptions being the ones that are over the shoulders. Having said that, it is much harder to tackle to hurt in football that it is in rugby, because players are often chasing from behind rather than meeting front on.
 

The Passenger

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Originally posted by wattie
I think it's a great idea, 95% of tackles in rugby would be legal in Aussie rules, the only exceptions being the ones that are over the shoulders. Having said that, it is much harder to tackle to hurt in football that it is in rugby, because players are often chasing from behind rather than meeting front on.

I dont think the main purpose of a tackle is to hurt, although if it gets you in the right spot it can bruise you up a bit. Occasionally players cop busted ribs, sternums and whatever else.

But I think the main idea of a tackle, aside from stopping forward momentum of a player, is to tire them.

Anyone can stop the forward momentum of just about anyone, but to actually put them down and make them tired with a hard tackle is another thing.

Most of you guys wouldn't have played League or Union. I've never played League, which involved more tackling than Union, but what I've noticed in Union compared to when I play Aussie Rules, is that after I cop 3 or 4 tackles in Union fatigue will start to set in, because they are hard, straight into the ribs and you hit the ground hard.

in Aussie Rules the biggest attribute of some players is their fitness, and if you can take that away from them by tackling them hard and really making them tire, then it will go a long way to helping your team win.
 

TheMase

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#9
Sydney use the Rugby League teams all the time in Sydney to help with the defensive side of their game, and their tackling.

It has a lot to do with how Sydney are going this year.
Sydney would be the best tackling unit in the League.
 

eagleskickass

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#10
Originally posted by TheMase
Sydney use the Rugby League teams all the time in Sydney to help with the defensive side of their game, and their tackling.

It has a lot to do with how Sydney are going this year.
Sydney would be the best tackling unit in the League.
Actually tackling has been good by Sydney this year. This idea does have some merit:)
 

TheMase

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#11
Originally posted by eagleskickass
Actually tackling has been good by Sydney this year. This idea does have some merit:)
We have been doing it for years, but Roos did a lot of preseason work with the League players (Sydney City).

You will have noticed their kicking has improved in League, because they have been working with the Swans, and Swans vice versa with Tackling!

We are one of the highest tackling sides in the competition. The most significant thing about that is that we're in the top 4. Generally a high tackling side is a side chasing the option (ie, not first to the footy) but we are obviously first to the footy if we're winning games.

It is our defensive pressure in the midfield that has added to our success this year. This has made our defense look particuarly impressive (2nd in League) even know it is undermanned.
 

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#12
I didnt mean it as you havent been doing it for years, more that it is really REALLY noticable for mine this season, and is a great asset for your side. If only soccer had more similarities to AFL we could use the all conquering Glory to help us out, or of course we could get some help from the amateur football teams like Wembly, Whitfords, Fremantle:);)
 

TheMase

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#13
Originally posted by eagleskickass
I didnt mean it as you havent been doing it for years, more that it is really REALLY noticable for mine this season, and is a great asset for your side. If only soccer had more similarities to AFL we could use the all conquering Glory to help us out, or of course we could get some help from the amateur football teams like Wembly, Whitfords, Fremantle:);)
I know what you mean't.
We are just using it more to our advantage this season, being much more accountable, and taking the opportunities when they present themselves.
 

The Passenger

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Originally posted by eagleskickass
I didnt mean it as you havent been doing it for years, more that it is really REALLY noticable for mine this season, and is a great asset for your side. If only soccer had more similarities to AFL we could use the all conquering Glory to help us out, or of course we could get some help from the amateur football teams like Wembly, Whitfords, Fremantle:);)
I actually think tactically soccer and aussie rules are similar. It's hard to explain, but not to the very core, but the more skeletal overall tactics.

Even though my knowledge on Soccer is limited, both soccer and Aussie Rules require guys to be able to find space to get the ball into use it, man marking is important, playing in front of your man, puting pressure of the ball carrier.

I've noticed whenever i watch a game of soccer, which isn't a huge amoun that I see a number of things which have a rough translation into aussie rules.

don't know if I explained it well, but I tried.
 

GoEagles

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#15
Maybe we could get Adrian Barich as our rugby specialist tackling coach. I remember he was on the Western Reds NRL list but didn't playing any senior games.
 
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