posted Aug 18, 2008

The defending in SL as a whole is oor this year, look how many times top 6 sides like wigan and warrington have leaked 40 plus points.

We are seeing too many guys trying to go for the big hits and taking people too high rather than tackling properly and getting the man down,
wether your playing a slide defence, a blitz defence the principle is the same you mark your opposite number and when he gets the ball you tackle him, and by that i mean you get low drive your shoulder into his midriff get your arms acros his legs and slide not these daft shoulder charges that look great when they come off but half the time sees the oppostion go right through you!

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posted Aug 18, 2008

Trentthepie. The sliding defence can only work ON YOUR LINE if you move up as well. You do have to move on the ball carrier - if you don't it is suicide. Imagine you are on your line and you give a half back all the time in the world to pick a runner. If he is running at a static defence the cannot stop him in his tracks - that is why they have to meet him - their movements should be UP and ACROSS. Can you imagine yourseld sliding across a pitch on the try line and you have to stop a player running at the line - no chance! The ball playing area has to be tight as this is the area that you have least time to react.

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posted Aug 18, 2008

If you don't move up on the ball carrier then they are always going to be able to make yards.
Wigan always try to keep their defensive line to stop gaps opening but then don't move up in the line to close teams down. At Wigan there always seems to be one or two players who rush out anyway and unless they get their man they leave the whole team exposed.
The only good point of Wigan's defence is the emphasis on markers making the quick tackles. Harrison Hansen in particular is great at making 3 or more tackles in a row standing at marker.

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posted Aug 18, 2008

jimmynultyfan
I agree that you have to move forward to meet the runners when defending your line but you can't just rush forward you have to make the right decisions or you leave your team mates stranded - think Lee Briers for an example earlier in the season he looked like a headless chicken but recently he has been working with his team mates and has been a lot better.
Everybody must know their job and Hansen is an excellent marker tackler and is told to get involved.

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posted Aug 18, 2008

it is ideal to tackle the opposition behind the gain line but as the previous poster said if your going to do that you have all come up in a line together if not you run the risk of being isolate, plus if your all up in a line your v vunerable to a grubber kick or a chip over the top ,plus if a guy is able to off load in a tackle your in big trouble trying to get back and catch him.

Obviously the best form of defence is attack so if you can keep the ball for your full set,avoid giving away pens (pay attention mr hock)and therefore limit the time the opposition have the ball your far less likely to give away points

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posted Aug 18, 2008

dont worry jimmy your playing the rhinos on friday so ime sure your defence will turn up it usually does

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posted Aug 19, 2008

I have to say I don't like Brian Noble's style at all. I find him very, well, boring. I couldn't watch Bradford when he was in charge at Odsal, even against Leeds in the derbies. Now I can't watch Wigan.

This is quite ironic as Brian did wonders for Bradford, especially in terms of winning trophies - but I simply cannot watch his teams play. Maybe it's just me...

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posted Aug 19, 2008

with regards to the comment by rovers-return if you check your history bradford only won trophies when they did not play saints in a final with or without noble banjobillybob

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posted Aug 20, 2008

Simple, Wigans finest export, Luke from Big Brother!!!

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posted Aug 22, 2008

tackling was rubbish again today, too many wigan players went too high and some of them appeared to be intimdated by the leeds pack

the only guys who get pass marks are lulai (sp) and calderwood

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