Melbourne Storm whips up Tigers
Daryl Timms
Herald-Sun
December 19, 2006 12:00am
RICHMOND can be excused if some form of Melbourne Storm's highly publicised grapple tackle slips into its game next season.
Worried by their low tackle count, the Tigers have hired former Melbourne Storm captain Robbie Kearns and forward Peter Robinson to put more grunt into their play.
Unfortunately for the Tigers, the grapple tackle is outlawed in the AFL as well as the NRL.
Richmond assistant coach Brian Royal said yesterday the Tigers had decided to act to improve their tackling after statistics revealed they were among the bottom few AFL clubs in that aspect of the game.
Kearns and Robinson, who both still work for Storm, will take the Tiger players through tackling drills throughout the season.
And yesterday the players had their first lesson in the NRL style of tackling.
Royal said tackling stats showed the Tigers had been well below the best in the competition for the past couple of seasons.
"And it probably hasn't been something that we have focused on heavily, but think it's an area where we have got to do a lot of work," he said.
"The only way we feel we can improve is to get the experts in and teach our guys how to do it.
"Robbie Kearns and Peter Robinson, who have already come down to do some work with our guys, will put them through different aspects of tackling each Monday."
Royal said the Tiger coaching staff wanted the players to not only have the correct technique, but also the right attitude when they tackle.
"We are also not effective enough at locking the tackle away, so we don't attempt enough tackles," he said.
"We are really putting a focus on both of those areas, to attempt more (tackles) and then to hold on to them once you attempt it."
As for the controversial grapple tackle, the Tigers are aiming to be hard, effective and fair.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,20948746-11088,00.html
