There’s been a lot of media hype about Newcastle’s tactics of hitting opposition halves late, and hard. A lot.
Even here in NRL-remote Adelaide, it’s making the back page of the papers. And yes, even here, they are questioning what the NRL should do about it.
I’m sure one Mr J. Thurston, and one Mr P. Wallace will agree to hit a ball player late is a bit of a dog act. But, and this is a Sir Mixalot big but, it is legal for now, and it’s not something new.
Is it safe to have your 110kg-plus blokes running hard at an 80-odd kilo bloke, and belting them hard, after they’ve played the ball? Not at all. Is it fair? Never has been, and never will be. But it is smart, and it does work? Newcastle have proved yes, it does, by going 4-0.
That, according to many stats gurus, means they’ll be playing finals footy, and might actually win the comp.
I’ve wondered how’d they’d go if they weren’t allowed to use that tactic, and I’ve figured they’d have still won all four, but maybe by smaller margins. Penrith, even with Peter Wallace being smashed around, looked lost without James Segeyaro and Jamie Soward, and Api Koroisau looked like he was having trouble gelling.
The Cowboys are up a certain creek, in a sinking canoe, without any paddles, and could be beaten by that bloke Sonny Bill Williams ‘boxed’ in the NRL Fight Night a few months ago.
What’s new about forwards singling out playmakers for extra attention? Nothing. What should the NRL do about it? Nothing. However, should the teams feel it’s an issue, they should either strengthen their playmakers, or give them protectors.
Gorden Tallis, Shane Webcke, Corey Parker and Sam Thaiday were never far away from Darren Lockyer. They always ran interference, and often scored after too many defenders drew a bead on Lockyer only for him to throw an awkward pass or quick kick their way, knowing he was about to be sat on his backside.
Coaches should be saying, “Righto, they are going to single out our 6 and 7 for extra attention, so 1 and 9 need to come up in the line and be more creative. Take away some of the playmaking load, so if they do get hit, and injured from those hits, we’ve still got options.”
Hell, using Penrith as an example (they are my team, after all), I’ve no idea why Matt Moylan, Koroisau and Tyrone Peachey didn’t combine and run rings around the Knights; they clearly have the skills. Even Lewis Brown can fill in in the halves.
There’s really no excuse for any team to sulk about playmakers being hit, late or otherwise. I have to give credit to Wallace and Ivan Cleary for not griping about it, and complimenting Newcastle and Rick Stone’s tactics, because, to quote, “They worked, didn’t they?”
I can’t wait to see the Knights try it on the Bulldogs. Josh Reynolds will either snap and punch on, or have a blinder of a game and prove if you don’t let it get into your head, it’s a dodgy tactic that only works if you let it. And if you think James Graham will let it go, you’re daft.
Or the Roosters. Sure, Mitchell Pearce and James Maloney might crumble under those tactics, but, with their hulking forward pack, do you really think Jarrod Mullen and Tyrone Roberts will be left alone, or Beau Scott himself?
It won’t be too long before some team sits Scott and Co. on their rear before they get the chance to belt my playmakers.
Andrew
Guest
Its not the late contact that's the issue, it's that no attempt is made to slow down or reduce the impact when they know they are hitting late. That's what makes it a cheap shot because they are trying to harm the opposition. joey, freddy, cam smith are all in unison so there is an issue.
Alex Kiefer
Roar Rookie
As already mentioned I think it's a touch unfair to localise the issue to Newcastle alone, because it certainly is no revolutionary tactic. All the way through last season, especially in the origin games, late tackles on kickers were prevalent. Obviously the blatantly late tackles should be punished, and are already being punished, but banning all late contact is just unfair towards the defensive side.
DMAGS
Guest
All this hype and media attention about the Knights tactics are a bit old. Rugby league is a tough sport. If the smaller men wanna take the ball close to the line they have to expected to be wacked...if defenders didn't hit them the smaller men would run rings around teams. The best ball players expect to be hit. All the people coming out and bagging the Knights tactics will be the first to cheer when one B. Scott gives Thurston a proper working over in origin.
The eye
Guest
leg lifting should be outlawed,its amazing that it hasnt been..if that didnt happen Jt would have been perfectly horizontally back slammed..Scott shouldnt be dammed for that..nor should he be tainted with the J.Smith brush the latter has long been dodgy..so,yeah scream all you want about Jeremy S.'accidents' often occur in his vicinity..but Beaus copping it unduly..
Bulldog
Guest
The issue between the Knights and Cowboys was not all about one isolated late shot. It was about repeated illegal tackles on JT that did not get appropriately dealt with by the on field refs and the judiciary. There was the late shot by Scott that you are all commenting on, as well as JT getting dumped on his head by Scott and Houston, as well as the knee to the head to JT by Smith which left JT with a huge black eye.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
It's perfectly viable to do this same thing to Newcastle, honestly Roberts and Mullen aren't the toughest halves going around. With this said I honestly don't think it's possible to both not tackle Thurston late all game and not miss a dummy from Thurston all game; there's simply not enough time for players to react to him not passing the ball if he chooses to dummy and they aren't already committed to the hit.
Albo
Guest
Gotta agree ! And I am a Panthers fan ! They played poorly for most of the match and got a deserved loss result ! Can't get overly excited about the marginal late hits on the playmakers ! They run to the line to try to create a gap at the expense of a possible hit ! And some have been treated as " koalas " for years ! Beau Scott is the best backrower in the game right now, and we will all cheer loudly when he belts JT in the State of Origin this year. If the hits are blatantly late penalise them, otherwise stop whinging and get back in the defensive line like Peter Wallace & JT would do.
The Barry
Roar Guru
No probs. The late tackles should have been "late" tackles as well.
chrisn
Guest
If the cowboys won against the knights it wouldn't have even been mentioned its a massive blow up from the media all over one late shot
Andrew
Guest
Lets ask Mullen and Roberts after 26 rounds of footy, but yep, Mullen and Newcastle didnt complain. However that hit by Bird on Mullen wasnt good, was cheap and I dont like seeing it in the NRL. The NRL is tough enough without late cheap shots. Scotts on JT and Birds on Mullen both being the good examples.
Dan
Guest
I love the comments "so 1 and 9 need to come up in the line and be more creative" and " I have no idea why Matt Moylan, Koroisau and Tyrone Peachey didn't combine and run rings around the Knights" 9 and 1 are the focal point of most teams attack these days and on Saturday they were used frequently but shut down through good reads and dominant tackles. What do you mean by run rings around them? Where would you target? What plays would you have put on? There is no technical analysis or insight in this article at all. One last point you didn't mention is Penrith missed 40 tackles including some really poor goal line defence, but I guess that was Beau Scott's fault too.
Sideline Comm.
Guest
I think kicking on the last has been going out of vogue since the 7 tackle restart. You're much better off being tackles 5 metres from the line and handing the ball over, than suffering an extra tackle from the 20.
Sideline Comm.
Guest
Men of Steel!
Sideline Comm.
Guest
Thank you Barry. It's all I'm hearing about the knights; that they're only winning by targeting playmakers late. It might be an aspect in defence, but you win games by scoring more tries and our dynamic backs are carving the opposition up.
Epiquin
Roar Guru
You're right. The NRL should do nothing. If a hit is blatantly late, the ref can penalise. He always has been able to penalise for a late hit. He can also threaten with sin-bins if the penalties don't work. It's up to the ref to blow his whistle. But with this seemingly new tactic of getting up in the kicker's face, we may see a move away from the 5-tackle-kick style of play and see teams throwing it on the last instead, leading to more exciting footy.
Epiquin
Roar Guru
Spot on Razzle. Every team is guilty of it.
The eye
Guest
This inflated hype around the JT hit is the greatest load of BS in the game today..there were no late hits on Wallace ..sorry Ben you're coming across as a giant sook..Penrith played poorly..they lost..Knights are playing good hard football,and it's nice to see some steel in a side..Sims in this week so it's going to get steelier....
Dan
Guest
Good luck to anyone who tries to put one on Beau Scott or Jeremy Smith Ohh I nearly forgot we get Tariq Sims this week aswell.. Go the Knights!! -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Razzle
Guest
Mullen left the field after Bird got him with a late hit.... he didn't complain. It Didn't get any media attention either. If anyone thinks Newcastle are the only team that does this are kidding themselves.
Andrew
Guest
If Jarrod Mullen orTyrone Roberts get injured in a enforcnig tacklesimilar to Scott on Thurston will they complain? There are tougher, bigger and faster forward packs than Newcastle (Penrith was one) not sure why they didnt stand up but other teams wont ignore these tactics in preparing for games. What goes around comes around as they say.