The Grubber kick is a type of kick

Kick (football)

Kicking is a method used by many types of football, including:* Association football* Australian rules football* International rules football* American football* Canadian football* Gaelic football* Rugby league* Rugby union...

 in various codes of football

Football

Football may refer to one of a number of team sports which all involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball with the foot to score a goal. The most popular of these sports worldwide is association football, more commonly known as just "football" or "soccer"...

 with an oval ball which results in the ball moving erratically along the ground.

The point of the grubber is to make the ball roll and tumble across the ground, making it hard for the defending team to pick up the ball without causing a knock on. Its properties make it hard to handle, giving it both high and low bouncing. On random occasions, the ball can uncannily sit up in a perfect catching position.

Rugby Football

It is commonly practiced in games derived from rugby football

Rugby football

Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...

: rugby league

Rugby league

Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...

 and rugby union

Rugby union

Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...

. In league, the grubber is usually executed when close to the opposition's line as an attacking play - grubbering into the ingoal. It can produce irregular bounces making it difficult for the opposing team to secure possession.

Mulligrubber

The Mulligrubber kick is a style of kicking used in the games of rugby league and rugby union. A mulligrubber is directed towards the ground and forced to bounce. Often used in situations where either the ball needs to be placed in a specific position (ie. on the try line) or to intentionally stop the opponent from being able to catch the ball on the full.

Australian Rules Football

The kick is rare in Australian rules football

Australian rules football

Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...

, usually seen only in rushed, close proximity shots for goal

Goal (sport)

Goal refers to a method of scoring in many sports. It can also refer to the physical structure or area of the playing surface where scoring occurs....

. In recent times, rules players have practised techniques which use the unpredictable bounce of the ball to curve it towards goal, making it possible to kick goals from seemingly impossible angles (see also Checkside punt

Checkside punt

Is like a banana kick but the opposite way, the checkside punt is a kicking style used in Australian Rules and rugby league football. When kicked, it bends away from the body and is usually used when a set shot for goal is lined up on a narrow angle....

).

A fast kick close to or along the ground in Australian rules football is sometimes also referred to as a worm burner. These kicks are often used to prevent an opposition player from marking

Mark (Australian football)

A mark is a skill in Australian rules football where a player cleanly catches a kicked ball that has travelled more than 15 metres without anyone else touching it or the ball hitting the ground....

the ball.

Execution

To execute a grubber, the ball is held on each side in an upright position slightly tilted toward the body. The kicker leans toward the ball, with their head and eyes over the ball. The release and the contact with the ball is the most important aspect and the most defining feature of the execution from other kicks. Contact is made with a slight bend in the knee on the upper half of the ball, before it makes contact with the ground. The follow through is with a straight leg and results in the ball moving along the ground.