We need more urgency in our play-the-ball

[delpy]

OK, we need **much** more than that. But week-in, week-out we seem to get lazy once tackled and allow defences to set themselves. Newcastle's line speed was phenominal on Monday because we showed no urgency in the play-the-ball.

Here's my latest article on it: http://delpysword.com/2013/03/13/its-not-exactly-rocket-science/

Please let me know what you think.

The onus must be on the attacking side to seek a fast game, not the defence, that will never work.
\

I don’t want to see players carry on like Michael Hancock used to do for Brisbane, but I do want to see more urgency in the players. At the very least they will draw a couple more penalties for holding.

 

[AmericanHistoryX]

the list goes on.

 

[delpy]

the list goes on.

I take your point.

The truth is, in nearly every game I watch, the team with the fastest play-the-ball wins the game. Every team works on slowing down the opposition but it is just as important to speed up yourselves. Why don't we do that? This is the point that I am trying to make in this article.

 

[AmericanHistoryX]

belly ache slipped through our fingers. Sad day in Wests Tigers folklore.

 

[happy_tiger]

the list goes on.

I take your point.

The truth is, in nearly every game I watch, the team with the fastest play-the-ball wins the game. Every team works on slowing down the opposition but it is just as important to speed up yourselves. Why don't we do that? This is the point that I am trying to make in this article.

Personally think in the Tigers case its our defence that wins us football games

How many games can you remember us losing in the past 3-4 years when we have kept the opposition to two tries have we lost

1 ,the Saints semi in 2010 that comes to mind

That should be our goal every week , keep the opposition down to 2 tries , great place to start anyway

 

[AmericanHistoryX]

we became lazy. Maybe there is more to life than football for some of them.

 

[happy_tiger]

we became lazy. Maybe there is more to life than football for some of them.

And there is AHX ,every player in this squad should realize this after the happenings of the last few weeks but wouldn't you also think that the need to realize that you only get limited chances in life to make your mark , and to throw 100% into everything you do because no one knows what is just round the corner

 

[AmericanHistoryX]

they should, but it seems some of them dont.

 

[TIGER]

The reason why our ruck gets slowed is because we don't hit the ball up hard and the ball carrier gets dominated and slowed down which creates a ripple effect for the whole set. Watch Newcastle's forwards they hit the ball up with vigor and speed we amble up.

 

[delpy]

The reason why our ruck gets slowed is because we don't hit the ball up hard and the ball carrier gets dominated and slowed down which creates a ripple effect for the whole set. Watch Newcastle's forwards they hit the ball up with vigor and speed we amble up.

I completely agree. This needs to happen early in the count before said ripple effect starts. Fast play-the-balls early in the count would aid this.

 

[Black_n_White]

I keep repeating myself, but here goes once again… Get the pack to keep hitting the line hard, but heading for the ground, that way they nose over the advantage line and making it alot harder for the defences to wrestle them onto their backs or keep it standing to slow them down. Quick play the balls will ensue and attacking players will get opportunities against a defensive line barely making it back.

Its the kind of play that suck in penalties, drains defences for minimal effort and occasionally teams struggling will kick for breathers.

Compliment it with a good kicking game ... best I stop there and keep it in the realms of reality.

 

[delpy]

I keep repeating myself, but here goes once again… Get the pack to keep hitting the line hard, but heading for the ground, that way they nose over the advantage line and making it alot harder for the defences to wrestle them onto their backs or keep it standing to slow them down. Quick play the balls will ensue and attacking players will get opportunities against a defensive line barely making it back.

Its the kind of play that suck in penalties, drains defences for minimal effort and occasionally teams struggling will kick for breathers.

Compliment it with a good kicking game ... best I stop there and keep it in the realms of reality.

Perhaps it is my misunderstanding, but this sounds dangerously close to a surrender tackle that has been cracked down on ever since the Mighty Tigers had the nerve to use it to win a premiership.

Wouldn't "heading for the ground" also reduce the ability for a forward to break the line?

 

[Tiger_Watto]

We need to be smarter in this aspect of our game… Its no secret we get dominated, so why try and go through the opposition?

I said it before round 1\. We need to go to the line, tap, bounce, play the ball & feed it to another straight runner to get the opposition going backwards... Melbourne did if for 3 years in the late 00's

 

[Black_n_White]

Lol yeah it does read like that…

Our pack runs in tall alot, long late lunge step straight into the standing grapple, best outcome a few metres from big leg pumps once held up... Old style war of attrition forwards game. Im stuck for words how to convey it well, but when Ellis hit it up he would punch the line, compact and with drive, he would be tackled yes, though nosed over the defensive line to his stomach facing the try line more often than not (if he didnt hand fight the defence and crabwalk). Bunnies did it well the other night also, yes they are big, but when they made contact they didnt try to pump their legs and drag them up the field they punched to nose over, leaving the tacklers behind them having to work back to marker. Hell for an extreme example Utai hitting it up, its the level change and drive at the line, that changes the defensive lines options from a hit up to a tackle. Punching the line rather than bending it or breaking it. Choosing to make the wrestle difficult rather than first contact being tall. Leg drive at contact rather than the lumbering last long stride.

The hit-up has its place dont get me wrong, bustle up and see how many forwards you can drag in around the markers, but 3 in a row puts the brakes on any momentum, easy pickings for a set defensive line.

 

[gct]

Again, it's only the first game, but I agree with the line running sentiments. We seems to take it one pass out of dummy half and turn it back in to a player who gets smashed repeatedly. Much rather see us vary that with two passes off the ruck and hitting a ball runner to put the defence in two minds. At the moment, it looks all too predictable and containable.

Would like to see Blair not back into a tackle every now and then too.

 

[boonboon]

If their is one thing you can't criticise Adam Blair for its the speed of his play the ball - while he might do enough for some everything he does is high quality and that defiantly includes always getting a quick play the ball.

Overall though I don't think this is an issue - for me it's not the speed of the play the ball it's the number of them win possession win the game. Our major problem was stupid mistakes and this was lead by our outside backs not our forwards

 

[delpy]

Lol yeah it does read like that…

Our pack runs in tall alot, long late lunge step straight into the standing grapple, best outcome a few metres from big leg pumps once held up... Old style war of attrition forwards game. Im stuck for words how to convey it well, but when Ellis hit it up he would punch the line, compact and with drive, he would be tackled yes, though nosed over the defensive line to his stomach facing the try line more often than not (if he didnt hand fight the defence and crabwalk). Bunnies did it well the other night also, yes they are big, but when they made contact they didnt try to pump their legs and drag them up the field they punched to nose over, leaving the tacklers behind them having to work back to marker. Hell for an extreme example Utai hitting it up, its the level change and drive at the line, that changes the defensive lines options from a hit up to a tackle. Punching the line rather than bending it or breaking it. Choosing to make the wrestle difficult rather than first contact being tall. Leg drive at contact rather than the lumbering last long stride.

The hit-up has its place dont get me wrong, bustle up and see how many forwards you can drag in around the markers, but 3 in a row puts the brakes on any momentum, easy pickings for a set defensive line.

What you describe sounds a lot to me like what you learn in Wing Chun. You can start your punch as slowly as you like, but if you accelerate in the last inch or so you will get your power. In fact, a punch with acceleration on impact has more force than a punch with speed but no acceleration. F=ma.

Also, you are taught to punch about 1-1.5 inches past the target. You literally aim to punch through it. That way you continue to accelerate through the target and don't decelerate as you approach impact.

I guess the same can be applied to running a football. Accelerate just prior to impact and aim one pace behind the tackler to actually be brought down just behind them, not in front of them.

Incidentally, my old Sifu worked with WT at some stage to teach them these principles, but I think it was more to do with tackling than running the ball.

 

[Shooshmeister]

Lol yeah it does read like that…

Our pack runs in tall alot, long late lunge step straight into the standing grapple, best outcome a few metres from big leg pumps once held up... Old style war of attrition forwards game. Im stuck for words how to convey it well, but when Ellis hit it up he would punch the line, compact and with drive, he would be tackled yes, though nosed over the defensive line to his stomach facing the try line more often than not (if he didnt hand fight the defence and crabwalk). Bunnies did it well the other night also, yes they are big, but when they made contact they didnt try to pump their legs and drag them up the field they punched to nose over, leaving the tacklers behind them having to work back to marker. Hell for an extreme example Utai hitting it up, its the level change and drive at the line, that changes the defensive lines options from a hit up to a tackle. Punching the line rather than bending it or breaking it. Choosing to make the wrestle difficult rather than first contact being tall. Leg drive at contact rather than the lumbering last long stride.

The hit-up has its place dont get me wrong, bustle up and see how many forwards you can drag in around the markers, but 3 in a row puts the brakes on any momentum, easy pickings for a set defensive line.

Hit the nail on the head. With blairs quick play the ball, maybe he should be 1st or 2nd hitup, get it started?

 

[delpy]

If their is one thing you can't criticise Adam Blair for its the speed of his play the ball - while he might do enough for some everything he does is high quality and that defiantly includes always getting a quick play the ball.

Overall though I don't think this is an issue - for me it's not the speed of the play the ball it's the number of them win possession win the game. Our major problem was stupid mistakes and this was lead by our outside backs not our forwards

I think though, teams that win the ruck are able to play smarter football and, hence, make less errors. Hit-up, quick play-the-ball, hit-up, quick play-the-ball, fifth tackle kick into space, then make the opposition play out of their own half and wait for a mistake. It's boring football but has been very successful under Bellamy and Bennett-coached sides.

 

[delpy]

Lol yeah it does read like that…

Our pack runs in tall alot, long late lunge step straight into the standing grapple, best outcome a few metres from big leg pumps once held up... Old style war of attrition forwards game. Im stuck for words how to convey it well, but when Ellis hit it up he would punch the line, compact and with drive, he would be tackled yes, though nosed over the defensive line to his stomach facing the try line more often than not (if he didnt hand fight the defence and crabwalk). Bunnies did it well the other night also, yes they are big, but when they made contact they didnt try to pump their legs and drag them up the field they punched to nose over, leaving the tacklers behind them having to work back to marker. Hell for an extreme example Utai hitting it up, its the level change and drive at the line, that changes the defensive lines options from a hit up to a tackle. Punching the line rather than bending it or breaking it. Choosing to make the wrestle difficult rather than first contact being tall. Leg drive at contact rather than the lumbering last long stride.

The hit-up has its place dont get me wrong, bustle up and see how many forwards you can drag in around the markers, but 3 in a row puts the brakes on any momentum, easy pickings for a set defensive line.

Hit the nail on the head. With blairs quick play the ball, maybe he should be 1st or 2nd hitup, get it started?

Did anyone see Benji make a hit-up early in the count in our own half on Monday? I think we can write off the forwards on Monday on the basis that they were buggered from tackling for 65% of the game, but we need our forwards to be making those runs early in the count and not relying on the Utai's and Ryan's of our team.