Tackling

Remove this Banner Ad

Vdubs

Vdubs

Hall of Famer
Veteran 10k Posts 30k Posts Geelong Cats - Gryan Miers Player Sponsor 2018 Geelong Cats - Sam Simpson Player Sponsor 2017 Geelong Cats - Nakia Cockatoo Player Sponsor 2016 Geelong Cats - Nakia Cockatoo Player Sponsor 2015 Geelong Cats - Travis Varcoe 2014 Player Sponsor
Jan 1, 2008
44,381
44,570
MYOB
AFL Club
Geelong
Watching us this year, Could be time to get a Rugby League or Union player to come and give our team some tackling drills. Watching Sam Gilbert (ex League), I am envious. Gilbert has perfect tackling prowess and has taught his team-mates the art. Many of our players seem weak and give away too many frees. Maybe just a fitness thing or an attitude issue, as I'm sure we were better last year, even rds 1 & 2, we were ok?
 
VEEDUBS said:
Watching us this year, Could be time to get a Rugby League or Union player to come and give our team some tackling drills. Watching Sam Gilbert (ex League), I am envious. Gilbert has perfect tackling prowess and has taught his team-mates the art. Many of our players seem weak and give away too many frees. Maybe just a fitness thing or an attitude issue, as I'm sure we were better last year, even rds 1 & 2, we were ok?
Click to expand...

Not sure at the moment; but last time I remembered, Paul Haines & Dean Robinson (Manly Sea Eagles background) were involved in the strength and conditioning/ fitness for the players. Whether that involved tackling practice to build core strength, etc....I dunno.

Maybe we should try and employ a dedicated tackling specialist/ coach???

It has concerned me to some degree where we appear to not be either sticking tackles at the moment; wouldnt mind seeing the numbers for tackle counts this season and last; I reckon our counts would be down a bit.....anyways......
 
maxrooke_narrowweb__300x354,0.jpg
 

Log in to remove this ad.

It could have more to do with tackling being regarded as our second option (as it seems to me)
Now we just try to protect space rather then leaving our opponent and going for the ball carrier.

It sh1ts me to tears sometimes.
 
BigBadCam said:
Look at the players we've got out at the moment. Rooke is a human wrecking ball - we all know that, and we will be a lot more physical when he is back. We're also missing the forward line tackling of Varcoe, and even Stokes to some extent. Milburn is no mug either.
Click to expand...

Varcoe is handy for forwardline PRESSURE, but he is a terrible tackler. He can catch an unsuspecting player from behind, but so can my sister. When it comes to sticking out an arm to get someone coming front on etc, he's about as strong as a kitten.
 
Claude Balls said:
Varcoe is handy for forwardline PRESSURE, but he is a terrible tackler. He can catch an unsuspecting player from behind, but so can my sister. When it comes to sticking out an arm to get someone coming front on etc, he's about as strong as a kitten.
Click to expand...
Probably related to his shoulders, always strapped, ?reconstructed. Pity, as I see Varcoe as a potential replacement for Wojo after he retires.
 
VEEDUBS said:
Watching us this year, Could be time to get a Rugby League or Union player to come and give our team some tackling drills. Watching Sam Gilbert (ex League), I am envious. Gilbert has perfect tackling prowess and has taught his team-mates the art. Many of our players seem weak and give away too many frees. Maybe just a fitness thing or an attitude issue, as I'm sure we were better last year, even rds 1 & 2, we were ok?
Click to expand...

For Wojo yes, this would be a great idea.

And as good as Max is, we can't expect him to be our tackling mojo. It's a team effort.

I think we just need to lift our hunt the ball carrier intensity 5 % and we'll improve.
 
I never really understood why Rugby players are supposed to be tackling experts - yes they know about tackling, but a Rugby tackle is completely different to an AFL tackle - they are allowed to tackle as low as they want, and are encouraged to do so. Having played Union as a kid, I can tell you that I was often told off for tackling around the torso area, because it was what I'd learnt from AFL.

I just can't see how someone who was brought up on that kind of tackle could instantly become an expert on another kind of tackle.
 
I personally think Jimmy Kelly is our best tackler by a fair stretch, his tackles always stick and he tackles to hurt.

Prime example is his tackle on Goddard in the GF
 
VEEDUBS said:
Probably related to his shoulders, always strapped, ?reconstructed. Pity, as I see Varcoe as a potential replacement for Wojo after he retires.
Click to expand...

Strength in the shoulders is definitely a prereq for tackling someone running by, but I think in Varcoe's case the most telling factor is that he shuns the physical aspect. Effective tackling requires you to get your torso close to the other person's, and Varcoe tries to do it all with his arms.
 
Rooke grew up head butting utes... his toughness will be a welcomed relief when he is back in the side tackiling & pressuring
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

kellykellykelly said:
I personally think Jimmy Kelly is our best tackler by a fair stretch, his tackles always stick and he tackles to hurt.

Prime example is his tackle on Goddard in the GF
Click to expand...
Laiud a couple of awesome tackles against Essendon in round 1 too.

Re Varcoe, he's definitely not strong enough to be an effective tackler. I think the key problem with the tackling an oncoming player, and we saw it on the weekend where Lonergan (I think) missed Pavlich costing us a goal, is that our players seem to just stand there and fall for the obvious tricks. Reading the player is essential.
 
No doubt it is an area we can improve.... Rooke adds truckloads to this department. Varcoe is great at pressure as was pointed out, but does need to work on sticking more tackles.

When Joel Corey is playing good footy Joel Corey is laying big tackles - ditto Jimmy Bartel and James Kelly. Isn't it ironic though that our best tackler (remember 02-04) is the very man who has to break them week in, week out - Gary Ablett. Is actually an area of his game that he could re-visit, but understandably he is more beneficial to the team when he is breaking em'/

Mitch Duncan looks a likely type in this department
 
sherrthecat said:
I never really understood why Rugby players are supposed to be tackling experts - yes they know about tackling, but a Rugby tackle is completely different to an AFL tackle - they are allowed to tackle as low as they want, and are encouraged to do so. Having played Union as a kid, I can tell you that I was often told off for tackling around the torso area, because it was what I'd learnt from AFL.

I just can't see how someone who was brought up on that kind of tackle could instantly become an expert on another kind of tackle.
Click to expand...
Get what you say, but watched some highlights of Sam Gilbert's tackles on BTG, and the best I've seen. Great technique, grabs the middle, makes the ball spill, player to ground, pain, anguish, beautiful. Gilbert explained his League background helped immensely
 
sherrthecat said:
I never really understood why Rugby players are supposed to be tackling experts - yes they know about tackling, but a Rugby tackle is completely different to an AFL tackle - they are allowed to tackle as low as they want, and are encouraged to do so. Having played Union as a kid, I can tell you that I was often told off for tackling around the torso area, because it was what I'd learnt from AFL.

I just can't see how someone who was brought up on that kind of tackle could instantly become an expert on another kind of tackle.
Click to expand...


I have a rugby league background I played the game for 20 years (don't hold it against me), tackling in Rugby League has evolved over the years, no longer is the "legs tackle" the takle of choice. Nearly all tackles now in League are aimed at the upper torso so the ball can be wrapped up and not offloaded to a support player. I think some AFL clubs could really benefit from getting a League player to come and show some technique, there is nothing to lose by doing this. Defence is an attitude, as it takes a lot more effort to defend then to attack.

When the Swans were on there succesful run a few years ago there tackling was excellent and without peer, I would say they had someone come in and help them.
 
Sydney Cat said:
I have a rugby league background I played the game for 20 years (don't hold it against me), tackling in Rugby League has evolved over the years, no longer is the "legs tackle" the takle of choice. Nearly all tackles now in League are aimed at the upper torso so the ball can be wrapped up and not offloaded to a support player. I think some AFL clubs could really benefit from getting a League player to come and show some technique, there is nothing to lose by doing this. Defence is an attitude, as it takes a lot more effort to defend then to attack.

When the Swans were on there succesful run a few years ago there tackling was excellent and without peer, I would say they had someone come in and help them.
Click to expand...

Weren't Geelong training with the Storm during this and previous preseasons anyway?
 
Totally agree. Varcoe is our best for pressure but I cant remember him ever sticking a front on tackle when his opponent had room to move.

Strength can't be everything as proven by that twig hawthorn player stopping Ablett a couple of times in round 2.

I would love geelong to hire a tackling coach. It's not like there is a salary cap for the coaching staff and a few good sessions through the preseason plus a session every few weeks to keep it fresh might go a long way to seeing some heavier tackles stick.

From what I have seen so far this season and preseason the best teams at tackling and forward pressure have been the teams playing above their weight otherwise. Port for instance. I would love for Bomber to tell them to focus on the tackles one week and just see what happens.
 

Remove this Banner Ad

Tackling

Remove this Banner Ad

Back
Top