Tackling - What the hell are we going to do about it ?

[Jason King]

We are the worst team for tackles still. A mere 47 per game compared to the top teams being in the 60 range. With a game like geelong on saturday, how in hell do we have any chance of winning if we keep up with this coraling horsesh!te??

http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/fts_team_rankings?type=TA&year=2008&sby=6

So what can we do as a club ? Make it mandatory that each player lays 4 tackles or doesnt play the next week ? Give a generous cash reward for the bloke with most tackles ?

This stuff aint rocket science, tackling is the easiest thing any old hack can do. It just takes committment and a bit of old fashioned gut running. I think our only chance to beat geelong is to pressure them like Freo and Collingwood did. I cant see it happening with our current stats.

 

[Phar Ace]

Dunno - think the problem is too hard to tackle...............

but seriously, I know we are still last, but at least we are a close last now. Check previous years - I can recall a time when we stuggled to reach 20 bl00dy tackles per game!

 

[osakabull]

I think its related to a lack of defensive pressure and also to our style of football which favours quick movement.If you look at the other stats we are doing very well.If we can tighten up defensively and become more physical we can certainly push up the ladder.

 

[H tiger]

After watching the last Geelong game at the G, my only live game this year (Hey I just moved to Florida), I think the main reason for this poor stat or at least a major contributor is our turnovers.

In the last Geelong game we would get the ball at half back our players would start streaming forward and McMuffin (and I know he's not on his own) would turn it over putting it on the chest of the opposition or being cut off. Our players had run hard to leave their opponent and these turnovers leave them high and dry with no chance of laying a tackle.

We are a lot better at the stoppages this year and are winning contested possession, but turnovers (our consistent weakness) hurt other pressure important areas of the teams game.

Maybe we need to focus on our skills first? (I downloaded and watched the last Qt of the Bris game yesterday, anyone else get nervous when the RFC try to run down the clock?)

 

[The tooth]

2009 needs to be the year of the tackle for the Tigers!

We have had the lowest tackle count in the league now for the last two seasons.

Our top 5 tacklers (average tackles per game) for 2008 were Tuck, Foley, Jackson, Tambling, White

Our both 5 were Hughes, Richo, Will, Simmo, Polak. All big fellas, which is understable to an extent. More disappointing were McMahon who had the 6th worst average and Brown with the 8th worst.

One for the Assistant Coaches

 

[Dyer'ere]

Jackson has been a boon for us in the last six weeks or so. His tackles stick. And when he has support from Tuck Norris or that little grunt, Axel, the bad guys don't get away.

 

[JR8]

Jackson has been a boon for us in the last six weeks or so. His tackles stick. And when he has support from Tuck Norris or that little grunt, Axel, the bad guys don't get away.

Love your work Jack.

As always! ;D

 

[Dyer Disciple]

It's not Rocket Science indeed.

And on the 6th Day the Lord said...

The Tackles will come, once you stop having stickmen apply them!

 

[Dyer'ere]

Love your work Jack.

As always! ;D

Very generous, D G. Action has grown a leg.

I reckon DD has it nailed:

The Tackles will come, once you stop having stickmen apply them!

 

[BladeTiger]

Jackson has been a boon for us in the last six weeks or so. His tackles stick. And when he has support from Tuck Norris or that little grunt, Axel, the bad guys don't get away.

Tuck Norris :clap Brilliant stuff.

Agree, you need strong bodies to make strong tackles.

 

[Jason King]

Yep Tuck Norris is gold

 

[TOT70]

An extra 2-3 kg of muscle right across the board wouldn't go astray.

Four kilos for McGuane.
Five for Edwards and Collins.
Ten for Oakley-Nicholls.

(-5 for Collard.)

 

[poppa x]

Extre kilos is not the only answer. Edwards tackles more than brown or mcmahon. the problem is more mental.

 

[daoula]

We are the worst team for tackles still. A mere 47 per game compared to the top teams being in the 60 range. With a game like geelong on saturday, how in hell do we have any chance of winning if we keep up with this coraling horsesh!te??

http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/fts_team_rankings?type=TA&year=2008&sby=6

So what can we do as a club ? Make it mandatory that each player lays 4 tackles or doesnt play the next week ? Give a generous cash reward for the bloke with most tackles ?

This stuff aint rocket science, tackling is the easiest thing any old hack can do. It just takes committment and a bit of old fashioned gut running. I think our only chance to beat geelong is to pressure them like Freo and Collingwood did. I cant see it happening with our current stats.

You will find with another preseason and most of the lads beefing up the tackle will stick more....I think we are bad because of the weight, Im pretty sure it will be sorted one the boys become men.

 

[Dyer Disciple]

Extre kilos is not the only answer. Edwards tackles more than brown or mcmahon. the problem is more mental.

You will always have players who don't tackle much, all clubs have them. Geelong included.

Edwards is a good example of my point. He does tackle but he does not have the strength to execute a lot of times. He also gets dispossessed easily. Three years in and his struggling to put meat on still. He'll get there but it takes time for some body types.

I was being flippant when talking of stickmen.

Your right of course though, it is more than that. Our discipline (need to hunt in packs to not only gang tackle, but sheperd, talk more, cut off avenues of escape or stress opposition disposal) is non existant at times.

You make a excellent point about the mental side (i define that as discipline). You don't; have to be frothing at the mouth and willing to charge face first through a brick wall, but you do have to be 100% committed to tackling your opponent when you attempt one.

A lot of indigenous players excel at this, forget the Davey's and Picketts who also have the gifts of blistering pace and/or strength. Look at Krakouer, he was our best tackler for years. His technique was excellent and his application when tackling was generally 100%. I've never seen such a small player bring down so many ruckmen in football. Did it regularly.

A proper conditioning program, hard drills and excellent tackling coaching would push us up a spot or two on the ladder alone i feel.

(We've been using Melbourne Storm for a few years and it clearly is not working, we need to accept that now).

 

[IanG]

This is only Edwards 2nd year I think.

 

[Dyer Disciple]

Yes you're right, my bad.