Tackling

[tugga]

Melbourne Storm whips up Tigers

RICHMOND can be excused if some form of Melbourne Storm's highly publicised grapple tackle slips into its game next season.
Worried by their low tackle count, the Tigers have hired former Melbourne Storm captain Robbie Kearns and forward Peter Robinson to put more grunt into their play. Unfortunately for the Tigers, the grapple tackle is outlawed in the AFL as well as the NRL.
Richmond assistant coach Brian Royal said yesterday the Tigers had decided to act to improve their tackling after statistics revealed they were among the bottom few AFL clubs in that aspect of the game.
Kearns and Robinson, who both still work for Storm, will take the Tiger players through tackling drills throughout the season.
And yesterday the players had their first lesson in the NRL style of tackling.
Royal said tackling stats showed the Tigers had been well below the best in the competition for the past couple of seasons.
"And it probably hasn't been something that we have focused on heavily, but think it's an area where we have got to do a lot of work," he said.
"The only way we feel we can improve is to get the experts in and teach our guys how to do it.
"Robbie Kearns and Peter Robinson, who have already come down to do some work with our guys, will put them through different aspects of tackling each Monday."
Royal said the Tiger coaching staff wanted the players to not only have the correct technique, but also the right attitude when they tackle.
"We are also not effective enough at locking the tackle away, so we don't attempt enough tackles," he said.
"We are really putting a focus on both of those areas, to attempt more (tackles) and then to hold on to them once you attempt it."
As for the controversial grapple tackle, the Tigers are aiming to be hard, effective and fair.

 

[itsintheblood]

It really sounds as though the coaches are pulling out all stops to try and lift us into the finals next year. The reports coming out of the club over the last 12 months have all been very encouraging.

We could be on the verge of something special (I hope )

 

[Harvey Leadpipe]

About time. For years we've seen teams just shrug off our attempts at a tackle, while we've watched the likes of the Roos (pre 2000), Brisbane and Sydney drill other teams into the ground with their tackles. Someone get Hopoate to Punt Rd to show them how to really get other sides off their game.

 

[tugga]

Robbie Kearns was a tough bastard on the field. Glad he's helping out. Very good operator. Could still play league tomorrow if he needed to. In fact he was on Storm's list last year despite having 'retired' as back up.
If he can't sort us out then nobody can.

 

[Heisenberg_]

Have to say this is one of the best training moves we have pulled off in a while, and as a Storm fan I couldn't think of two people better to have helping us out then Robbie Kearns and Robbo, will not only teach us a better tackling technique but these two were both tough prix in their day and will give us some added mongrel that has been seriously lacking

 

[Punt_Road_Roar]

We are a bunch of girls when it comes to tackling, about time the club looked at this large hole in our game.

 

[LarryLong]

I wonder if there's any difference in technique though - in Rugby you're trying to stop the player, pin both arms and bring him to ground to prevent the pass, whereas in AFL these days the primary focus is to prevent them from being able to handball.

You don't have to pin both arms, and in many cases it is best to leave the hand with the footy free and hold the other hand behind the back judo-style to make it obvious that they don't have an effective mode of disposal. I think it was Melbourne or Sydney that was actually bringing in a judo expert as a consultant to help with tackling technique.

That said, I agree that there is an element of 'mongrel' about tackling that our boys will need to develop along with their physical prowess, and that's a good thing.

 

[peoplespoet]

I just read the article on line and came onto your board to see what you folks think.
The big thing mentioned was attitude to the tackle, remember that tackling in RL is at least 50% of the game.The Wallabies used a league tackling coach with great success and I'm really interseted to see how it can translate to AFL. If nothing else league drills give you confidence and that is the real skill with tackling.

 

[PLSC]

stupid me thought that our low tackle count was because we were flooding

look at west coast for all the class they have are one of the best teams at pressuring the ball carrier

 

[sante]

We are a bunch of girls when it comes to tackling, about time the club looked at this large hole in our game.

Finally IMO. I hate watching us be "bullied" by bigger and stronger teams

 

[Crumden]

Richmond assistant coach Brian Royal said yesterday the Tigers had decided to act to improve their tackling after statistics revealed they were among the bottom few AFL clubs in that aspect of the game.

I get the impression that coaches these days are so caught up in tactics and matchups on game day that they need to look at the stats to see the bleeding obvious.

 

[Rocket00]

Just a few observations guys ... watching many of our matches we tend to 'stand-off' the player with the ball .... and with the skills of the other teams we simply give them time to dispose of the bloody thing ... put pressure on them all the time ... if we miss a few tackles so be it at least the opposition will be expecting us to chase and tackle . .. they will make mistakes, I hope the Storm Boys put some grunt into our attack on the ball carrier ... it appears that we should have the speed to close them down at last.

 

[Rainsy]

it seems to me that the coaching staff down at punt road in conjunction with the players really seem to be turning the off season around. The club feel rejuvinated and fresh new drills, new competitive edge and just a good vibe comming out of training with tackling, NAB 15 and the other new innovations introuduced by the staff..... But will it make a noticable difference come mid season

 

[peternorth]

I wonder if there's any difference in technique though - in Rugby you're trying to stop the player, pin both arms and bring him to ground to prevent the pass, whereas in AFL these days the primary focus is to prevent them from being able to handball.

spot on. also the fact that in RL its more of a face to face sport, thus tackling is done head on. Whereas in afl its more chasing.

in any case robbie helping us out cant hurt one bit!

 

[tigerT]

it seems to me that the coaching staff down at punt road in conjunction with the players really seem to be turning the off season around. The club feel rejuvinated and fresh new drills, new competitive edge and just a good vibe comming out of training with tackling, NAB 15 and the other new innovations introuduced by the staff..... But will it make a noticable difference come mid season

lets just hope it all just doesnt dissintegrate into a puff of smoke halfway through round 1

 

[Yeah161]

so richmond realised after all these years that they can't tackle?

 

[tigerT]

took a while

it took until wallace came to realise we cant run, cant kick and cant play to a game plan as well as the fact we were unfit and weak as piss. Id say we are making inroads in all those departments..

 

[Stripes666]

A few months back Ox said on SEN that when he was at Melbourne the best tackler was whealan who had a rugby background. Its a good move.

 

[Bentleigh]

took a while

it took until wallace came to realise we cant run, cant kick and cant play to a game plan as well as the fact we were unfit and weak as piss. Id say we are making inroads in all those departments..

Ah the truth.