Hagan’s Round 8 Talking Points: Rise in hip-drops a physics lesson as players get bigger and faster, Bunnies on the boil

The hip-drop issue has flared up again this round and amid all the debate about what’s behind the problem, it’s clear to me that it’s not something that is being coached into players.

It’s one of those tackles where it doesn’t matter if it’s accidental or not, if it happens, players are going to get punished and we’ve seen more charges dished out this weekend. 

I think part of this issue is the physics involved in the NRL with the players that are now so big and powerful.

When you’re faced with someone who is close to two metres tall and likely around 110kg running off the back fence towards you, then you’re trying to use a range of techniques to try and stop their progress and control their lower legs. 

CLICK HERE for a seven-day free trial for your favourite sport on KAYO

We’ve actually gone back from a situation where a really good legs tackle used to be rewarded.

Payne Haas was charged for a hip-drop against Parramatta. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Now we’re at a point point where the initial contact from defenders is around the ball as the ball carrier hurtles forward, and then we see a third tackler coming in around the legs later. 

So that’s where it’s got a little bit confusing from the point of view of three defenders in the tackle and the different forces that are at work right around how do we stop someone from surging forward and how do we get them to the ground and how do we get them on their back? 

That’s the mechanics of it all. 

In terms of all those components happening at speed, with three blokes of 100 kilos or more coming into the contact and if you get someone that’s running the ball flat out, that where the collisions and the accidents come into play. 

I think the genuine cases of someone intentionally looking to put their weight on the lower legs with their hip or the lower part of their torso, that’s quite rare. 

It’s like a lot of the crusher tackles that we see penalised. Most of it is accidental when blokes are backing into the tackle. 

The hip-drop style of tackle has been happening for at least 15 years. There’s been a whole range of refinements and changes to the rules and the speed of the game and the tackling techniques over that period. 

Ever since rugby league has been played the battle has been to win the ruck, it’s always been part of the game’s essence. 

And what you want your team to do is slow it down when the other team has the ball. 

The basic principle of defence is getting yourself in a good position with footwork and contact. Using your power in your legs and your lower body to impact enough force to stop someone. 

It’s become a real specialist area for the game and coaches and players. 

What you want is two defenders going into the tackle and there’s a third man around the legs. After the third guy completes the tackle, you want him to roll off and get back into the line while the other two defenders get their body weight on top of the tackled player so you’ve got around 200kg of humans stopping their ability to get a quick play-the-ball. 

The better coached teams can get their bodies on the ball carrier and get the genuine weight on before the referee calls held or release.

Coaches want to say we’re doing whatever we can within the rules to win the ruck. Bottom line, we’ve got to win the playable space and that’s that’s the focus for every team for 350 play-the-balls every game. 

The speed of the ruck has changed from the five-metre era a few decades ago to 10 metres. And since then, the strength and conditioning has gone up several levels. 

Players are bigger and can play at high intensity for a lot longer. 

Even 10-plus years ago I remember being in a Maroons Origin camp with Trevor Gillmeister, Allan Langer and Mal Meninga, who was a massive player in our day, but then we see people like Greg Inglis, David Shillington, Petero Civoniceva and Dave Taylor –  who were just different dimensions to our generation. 

The whole shape and size of the first-grade player has changed dramatically. You look at guys like Jack Wighton, Matt Burton and Josh Schuster who are playing at five-eighths, they’re tall and powerful guys.

Bunnies’ contrasting style a winner

Like any NRL fan, I really enjoyed the Thursday night game between Souths and Penrith and in particular the contrasting styles. 

You look at the fullbacks and Latrell Mitchell had a major impact on the winning of the match even though Dylan Edwards worked so hard throughout the 80 minutes.

In the halves, Nathan Cleary and Cody Walker both came up with some moments of magic for their team and you’ve got two Test quality locks squaring off in Isaah Yeo and Cam Murray. 

And in the end it was a skilful offload from a winger that proved the difference when Alex Johnston was able to get the ball away in a tackle late in the contest, Walker backed him up and Isaiah Tass finised off the play.

I’d put Souths up alongside the Broncos as the two main challengers to Penrith’s chances of a three-peat.

(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Broncos have touch of class

Brisbane were very impressive taking down Parramatta in Darwin on Friday night. 

Ezra Mam’s no-look pass to Adam Reynolds was a terrific piece of skill and it shows the confidence he has in working alongside his more experienced halves partner.

With Reece Walsh chiming in from fullback, it’s not all on their No.7 this year and I think playing alongside these younger teammates has put a bit of life back into Reynolds’ legs. 

You can see he can focus on his kicking game and getting the team in the right part of the field, but he was still intelligent and intuitive enough to back up and score the try against the Eels when Mam made the break. 

Kevin Walters and Alfie Langer are good fun to be around and you can see they are quite a happy group at the moment.

The Payne Haas and Patrick Carrigan one-two punch in the forwards is reminding me a bit of the old Shane Webcke and Petero Civoniceva double act which worked so well for them in the late 1990s and early 2000s. 

They’re possibly a more athletic modern version of them – it’s hard to handle when one of them barrels forward and skittles a few and then the other one winds up as well on the next play.

And that’s usually after someone like Selwyn Cobbo or Corey Oates gets the set off to strong early momentum. Dare I say it, that’s like what they used to have with Michael Hancock and Wendell Sailor back in those glory days.

Back five shoot Cowboys back onto right track

North Queensland are still not back to their best after their two-point win over Newcastle on Saturday night but it was a performance more like last season when they shot up the ladder to finish in the top four. 

They had better line speed, better contact and they did a much better job on the carries from their back five and that had a fairly strong influence on them being in front of the end of the game. 

Murray Taulagi is getting back to his best after having time off with injury and Scott Drinkwater has found some form after a few weeks back from being suspended.

It was great to see Kalyn Ponga back doing what he does best for Newcastle after six weeks out with concussion problems. 

He came up with a couple of line break and try assists and genuinely looked like he was in position to make good tackles. 

His confidence looked quite good defensively in handling that role on the edge. 

 (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

Using him off the bench messed around with Newcastle’s interchanges a bit so hopefully he can be back playing 80 minutes in a week or two.

The Knights need to cut down on their errors because that’s what’s costing them – Lachie Miller has been fantastic at fullback but he’s come up with a couple of crucial fumbles the last couple of games along with Dominic Young. 

Titans meltdown gifts Dolphins a victory

The Titans produced one of the biggest second-half meltdowns we have seen in recent times and they should send out a search party to find the two competition points they left behind at Suncorp Stadium.

Their coach Justin Holbrook will be anxious to enter the dressing room at half-time next week after his team has conceded a total of 59 In the second half of their last two games.

If ever a team underestimated their opposition it was against the Dolphins who can score points quickly but the Titans’ on-line defence was non-existent and they will need some serious soul searching this week.

Anzac Day spirit on show

Two great (and traditional) battles between the Roosters and the Dragons and the Storm and Warriors will bring Round 8 to a great conclusion.

The under-performing Roosters will be searching for some answers with Luke Keary at halfback to run the team and Joey Manu at five-eighth to make an impact running the football.

I’m looking forward to Keary’s battle with Ben Hunt, who will be driving his team in this annual, emotional contest. It’s also great to see Kangaroos forward Angus Crichton return to his beloved Roosters and he should get great support from his teammates and the fans at Allianz Stadium. Also good to see their athletic back rower Sitili Tupouniua returning from a long lay-off.

Melbourne have an imposing record against the Warriors (won their last 12 against them) but this year’s Warriors should put up a much better fight this time around with Tohu Harris, Addin Fonua-Blake and Marata Niukore returning from suspension giving the visitors an imposing pack.

The Storm have their imposing, starting front-rower Nelson Asofa-Solomona returning as well along with their fullback Nick Meaney so it should be a beauty to finish the round.