Official 2024 Sharks NRL General Discussion

[bort]

Depends on position I reckon.

Is what middle forwards do always considered tackling? More like cuddle, hold, wait for help. That doesn't require a lot of technique. Cutting down a guy around the legs as he tries to beat you on the outside though. Yep - need some technique for that one. You'd want a bloke who had at least played some defence coming through the system (yet another argument for junior athletes to not over-specialise).

I'm sceptical until I see an athlete transition from another sport as an adult though. We've seen enough guys fail to transition from Rugby Union, which is at least close mechanically. There is obviously more to being good at RL than being able to run and tackle.

Gus talked about this on his podcast last year. He said it defies logic that the only people in the world who can take hit-ups and make tackles happen to be born in a 2000km stretch along the Eastern seaboard of Australia... but unless a player learns fundamental RL skills as a teenager he won't learn them.

I played against that American bloke the Knights brought out in the 90's. Greg Smith. He was pretty ordinary.

Very simplified way of looking at it when for you it is something natural and easy though.

The NFL (wannabe) convert who can muscle down Payne Haas and then Patrick Carrigan in back to back tackles is probably pretty likely to get blown out by the next scoot to come his way.
I agree tackling another middle forward doesn't take a lot of 'tackle technique', I played with virtually no tackle technique and was a good middle defender. There are elements of wrestle and ball control which you can be taught and develop over time which would be tricky to shove down someone's throat.

When Sharks were here and I went to their training I was watching with a bloke who did probably 10 years with NRL WA development, out of the game a few years now, and he spotted we were practicing tackling in a different way than the NRL had taught him to teach people previously. Also watching with current first grade coach of my old club and his initial instinct was no point trying to implement that as it is just likely to confuse people/

I guess less of an issue if you were learning that from scratch but if it got implemented while still learning the old way it'd be a headache.

We know there are plenty of people around the world who can tackle and take a hit-up. The trick, as you say, is learning the skills young enough to develop through and be able to implement them at a high level. Most Union converts would probably do better if they spend a couple years playing cup and refining their skills rather than trying/expecting to be thrown straight into NRL.

 

[BurgoShark]

Very simplified way of looking at it when for you it is something natural and easy though.

That's what it is though

There have been NRL middles in the past who had great cuddle technique but very poor tackle technique early in their careers.

Obviously the vast majority are good at both.

The NFL (wannabe) convert who can muscle down Payne Haas and then Patrick Carrigan in back to back tackles is probably pretty likely to get blown out by the next scoot to come his way.
I agree tackling another middle forward doesn't take a lot of 'tackle technique', I played with virtually no tackle technique and was a good middle defender. There are elements of wrestle and ball control which you can be taught and develop over time which would be tricky to shove down someone's throat.

Also why sticking the new kid on the wing is bad in kids footy. Put your best tacklers out wide and put the kid with NFI in the middle where he has help.

I think those elements which make a competent middle could be taught easier to someone new to the game than things like legs-tackling, line running or making defensive decisions. I can't see much potential for an NFL guy starting at 22 and becoming a gun edge forward, centre or spine player. Bench middles - sure. Maybe the odd winger too.

When Sharks were here and I went to their training I was watching with a bloke who did probably 10 years with NRL WA development, out of the game a few years now, and he spotted we were practicing tackling in a different way than the NRL had taught him to teach people previously. Also watching with current first grade coach of my old club and his initial instinct was no point trying to implement that as it is just likely to confuse people/

I guess less of an issue if you were learning that from scratch but if it got implemented while still learning the old way it'd be a headache.

Yeah. Obviously things change over time. NRL defence is very different from how kids are taught. Especially with young kids who don't have any technique there is also an element of "bring them down via any means necessary as long as it is within the rules and safe for you". Once they get older and start getting coached by specialist coaches that can obviously be refined.

Also yet another reason to not hyper-focus on technical stuff when players are young. If they are good all around footy players and show some promise, they'll get coaching on the specifics when the times comes. I'm sure there are plenty of guys in the NRL who never had a wrestling session or attended an NRL dev camp when they were kids.

We know there are plenty of people around the world who can tackle and take a hit-up. The trick, as you say, is learning the skills young enough to develop through and be able to implement them at a high level. Most Union converts would probably do better if they spend a couple years playing cup and refining their skills rather than trying/expecting to be thrown straight into NRL.

I agree.

 

[Sparkles]

Depends on position I reckon.

Is what middle forwards do always considered tackling? More like cuddle, hold, wait for help. That doesn't require a lot of technique. Cutting down a guy around the legs as he tries to beat you on the outside though. Yep - need some technique for that one. You'd want a bloke who had at least played some defence coming through the system (yet another argument for junior athletes to not over-specialise).

My disagreeing with you on this actually supports the rest of your argument
I think it does require technique. Do a lot of players do it well? Probably not. But tackling upright to contain the ball, hold them up and still avoid hitting them in their enormous melons does take technique, I would argue. The issues comes from when someone approaches that tackle like it's the 80s - sort of the way Teig tackles when he's chasing down an outside back or edge second rower. Or virtually any head-on tackle by Dale.

 

[BurgoShark]

My disagreeing with you on this actually supports the rest of your argument
I think it does require technique. Do a lot of players do it well? Probably not. But tackling upright to contain the ball, hold them up and still avoid hitting them in their enormous melons does take technique, I would argue. The issues comes from when someone approaches that tackle like it's the 80s - sort of the way Teig tackles when he's chasing down an outside back or edge second rower. Or virtually any head-on tackle by Dale.

What I probably should have said is that it is a less technical skill than using your shoulder to tackle someone, and probably an easier skill to learn for an adult who has never played the game.

I also think that taking an 18yo who already has great tackle technique and teaching them to cuddle would be far easier than taking a 23yo epic cuddler and teaching him tackle technique.

 

[Sparkles]

I also think that taking an 18yo who already has great tackle technique and teaching them to cuddle would be far easier than taking a 23yo epic cuddler and teaching him tackle technique.

I'm just glad there's no-one on here who would take this out of context for a cheap laugh

 

[HaroldBishop]

Good. **** off.

First it was politics, now it is the Sharks with former prime minister Scott Morrison stepping away from official duties with his beloved NRL club.

Morrison, who quit parliament last month, has given notice to Cronulla he will also hand back his title as the Sharks’ No.1 ticket-holder.

Around the clubs: Penrith prop Fisher-Harris cleared of serious injury

James Fisher-Harris was on the field for just 24 minutes of Penrith’s win over Parramatta on Friday night but the picture appears a lot rosier after scans showed no significant damage.

www.smh.com.au

 

[Proud Shark]

Good. **** off.

Someone wrote into Sharkcast giving Scomo a wrap. Each to their own, but I'd be happier if he was never mentioned in the same breath as our club ever again.

 

[bort]

Oh no

Anyway

 

[Sparkles]

Good. **** off.

Someone wrote into Sharkcast giving Scomo a wrap. Each to their own, but I'd be happier if he was never mentioned in the same breath as our club ever again.

Harold Holt's contributed more to our club than ScoMo

 

[Thresher]

He had an interesting scarf waving technique, that's the best that I can say.

 

[Western Sharkie]

Good. **** off.

First it was politics, now it is the Sharks with former prime minister Scott Morrison stepping away from official duties with his beloved NRL club.

Morrison, who quit parliament last month, has given notice to Cronulla he will also hand back his title as the Sharks’ No.1 ticket-holder.

Around the clubs: Penrith prop Fisher-Harris cleared of serious injury

James Fisher-Harris was on the field for just 24 minutes of Penrith’s win over Parramatta on Friday night but the picture appears a lot rosier after scans showed no significant damage.

www.smh.com.au

Someone wrote into Sharkcast giving Scomo a wrap. Each to their own, but I'd be happier if he was never mentioned in the same breath as our club ever again.

Harold Holt's contributed more to our club than ScoMo

He had an interesting scarf waving technique, that's the best that I can say.

Now, now, come on guys.
He did put us onto everyone else’s radar.


Oh wait……………….

 

[egg]

Tapuha he's a KEEPER and will attract ridiculous offers moving forward .
Pick your priority Sharks props for 2025 and beyond that we MUST keep.
I'll name 4
AFB , Uele , Hazelton and Tapuha .
I'll spew if we lose Hazo or Tapuha
Thoughts?

 

[Deleted member 3365]

I think we got a good humbling tonight, we got ambushed and hopefully we can shake it off.

Not a write off, but definitely brings them back to earth.

Rounds 1-5 are usually the most unpredictable, teams are finding their feet and learning what works.

 

[bort]

Rounds 1-5 are usually the most unpredictable, teams are finding their feet and learning what works.

After 3 in last two rounds I’m hoping we’ve realised kicks out on the full aren’t a great tactic

 

[Shortfin Mako]

This is not related to the score tonight, but something is off this year.

The last 2 years, we were bad at defending, but it was a scoring contest. We could score at will.

This year, we were good at defending the first two games, but our attack seemed disconnected and uninspiring. I cannot really tell you what it is technically, but it just does not seem right.

If lack of attacking meets lack of defending, then we get the result like tonight.

 

[Shortfin Mako]

Tapuha he's a KEEPER and will attract ridiculous offers moving forward .
Pick your priority Sharks props for 2025 and beyond that we MUST keep.
I'll name 4
AFB , Uele , Hazelton and Tapuha .
I'll spew if we lose Hazo or Tapuha
Thoughts?

I like Uele a lot but he is very injury prone. We need someone who is not injured 50% of the time.

 

[bort]

This is not related to the score tonight, but something is off this year.

The last 2 years, we were bad at defending, but it was a scoring contest. We could score at will.

This year, we were good at defending the first two games, but our attack seemed disconnected and uninspiring. I cannot really tell you what it is technically, but it just does not seem right.

If lack of attacking meets lack of defending, then we get the result like tonight.

Defence wasn’t great but wasn’t awful
Plenty of teams can cop 32 on a good week

I forget who but didn’t one of our players say we focused most of preseason on defence

This was what happens when bad offience meets bad ball control and attitude

 

[Deleted member 3365]

Happy to be corrected but it looks like our team lacks a few large body sized forwards and backrowers.

 

[Sevshark]

Happy to be corrected but it looks like our team lacks a few large body sized forwards and backrowers.

Alternatively you could argue some of them are too large if they're blowing calves from a light jog

 

[HaroldBishop]

Do we need more second phase play in our game?

Wests destroyed us with offloads. Similar story in yesterday's game....Manly off to a fast start but they couldn't handle Parra when they started offloading.