New Zealand rugby boffins are helping AFL club Adelaide tackle their greatest deficiency.
Two Maori All Blacks are teaching the Crows how to tackle amid alarm from Crows coach Brenton Sanderson at his side’s soft tackling.
NZ rugby identities Jim Love and Darrel Shelford, directors from the NZ Sports Academy, are holding sessions with the Crows this week.
“They have both got fantastic, long, rugby backgrounds so it has worked out really well for us. The timing is perfect to do a little bit of extra technique tackling stuff which we need,” Sanderson told reporters on Tuesday.
“(We had) a low tackle count last week, tackling was a major concern for us last season, so the opportunity to get a bit more advice has been great for our guys.
“It was pretty much a theory session, stripped it right back to the basics.
“We didn’t want a bash and crash into each other today, it was more about some technique stuff and some triggers to help our guys with some of the method.”
Sanderson made improving Adelaide’s tackling his main pre-season priority, after the Crows ranked 16th for tackling last year – above only fledgling clubs Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney.
But the problem re-surfaced in their round one loss to Essendon when the Bombers landed 26 more tackles than Adelaide.
“It (tackling) should have been high,” Sanderson said of the season-opener.
“We want to make sure we’re consistently in the top eight when it comes to tackling. We want to build our side around really good defensive values and tackling is part of that.”
Love, a former Tonga World Cup coach, and Shelford, who also represented Scotland in rugby league, both played for the Maori All Blacks during their rugby careers.
Sanderson said their presence in Adelaide was a coincidence as they long ago planned their trip to visit a Crows coach who preferred a tough tackling game over a high scoring match.
“I would prefer a tight scrappy game than open and free-flowing,” Sanderson said.
“The games we like to watch as spectators is like (last Thursday’s) Carlton-Richmond game where it’s up and down the ground, high speed, free-flowing.
“But from a coaching point of view, from a selfish point of view, I would rather it be in close, contested, high tackling rather than the free-flowing type.”
Jerry
Guest
Darrel Shelford played League too.
allblackfan
Guest
it makes sense to call RU coaches in as the high kick is more a RU thing than a RL thing. And NZ RU is benefitting from the input of AFL skills via kicking coach Mick Byrnes (ex-Hawthorn, ex-Swans)
Redb
Roar Guru
Better call Andy Harper. Rugby being allowed to help AFL. what!
Jo
Guest
Yep. It's called International Football. No hybrid rules though.. Like what you guys try pass off as international matches.
Jo
Guest
Get lost. NRL clubs do not need help from the AFL to know how to catch a high ball.. It's been a solid part of Rugby League since 1967 when the four tackle rule came in.. But you are right. AFL has gotten help from Rugby (League and Union) players and coaches to learn how to tackle.. Cus you guys can't tackle to save your lives. Not your fault though, the rules of your game don't allow proper tackling and collisions.
Australian Rules
Guest
Most AFL clubs have worked closely with NRL clubs on tackling...and vice versa for the high ball.
simonjzw
Roar Pro
Surely they'd be better getting a leaguie in
Nostradamus
Guest
Maoris (Shelford) playing rugby league? for Scotland - cute......
vocans
Guest
Sanderson hasn't mentioned what effect not fielding over half his preferred 22 for much of the NAB Cup had on the readiness of his players to hit their straps in Game 1. Tackling requires high order focus and intensity, and players usually lack focus and intensity if they don't have much recent match experience under their belt. Even the best of them have to get acclimatised. Then there's the question of time to establish team cohesion on the ground.