Tackle (football move)
Encyclopedia
Most forms of football
have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend.
The word is used in some contact
variations of football to describe the act of physically holding or wrestling a player to the ground. In others, it simply describes one or more methods of contesting for possession of the ball. It can therefore be used as both a defensive or attacking move.
It is also used in football game.
As there is no offside rule in Australian rules football, players can be tackled from any direction, and often blindsided. For this reason, the sport allows shepherding
methods for teammates to be able to protect the ball carrier.
The variety of different ways to contest possession in Australian rules has led to first time observers of the game regarding it as having "no rules" or as some Australians unfamiliar with the game colloquially term it "Rafferty's Rules". Despite these stereotypes, however, there are actually quite strict rules governing tackling.
In Australian rules football
, the move commonly described as a "tackle" is similar to in rugby and involves wrapping, holding or wrestling a player who has possession of the ball to the ground.
Tackling in Australian Rules is unique in that if tackled player does not dispose of the ball having had opportunity to do so (called the holding the ball
rule), or concedes a penalty in the tackle (i.e. tries to throw the ball when he was only allowed to "handball" or kick it) the tackler is rewarded with a free kick
. This is only paid if the player tackling does not either deliberately or unintentionally hold the ball to their opponents body.
A tackle must make contact below the shoulders and above the knees, and a player is able to be thrown to the ground, so long as the tackle is not reckless. There are also rules outlawing pushing in the back making tackling more difficult.
Players wear little to no padding to cushion the impact of tackles, however mouthguards are essential for keeping teeth. As there is no offside rule in Australian rules, tackling is more often when chasing a player down rather than frequent on head on contact.
Great tacklers in the AFL are Brett Kirk
, David Rodan
, Jude Bolton
, Rhan Hooper
, James McDonald
, Aaron Davey
and Alwyn Davey
.
Other defensive actions are generally categorised as one percenters
.
Colliding with other players whilst trying to catch or mark
the ball is part of the game, however tackling a player jumping in the air to catch a ball is strictly not allowed. Bumping a player who is jumping to catch the ball is not allowed unless the player is deemed to have intentions to contest for possession or have "eyes for the ball". The defensive tactic of punching away (commonly known as spoiling) from a player is allowed. Smothering, which involves using the arms or body to get in the way of an opponent's kick as it leaves their boot, and is similar to a charge down in rugby football.
defines tackling as wresting the ball from an opponent's hands. Bumping is allowed on the player with the ball, but a player cannot be grabbed.
In American football
and Canadian football
, to tackle is to physically interfere with the forward progress of a player in possession of the ball, such that his forward progress ceases and is not resumed, or such that he is caused to touch some part of his body to the ground other than his feet or hands, or such that he is forced to go out of bounds. In any such case, the ball becomes dead, the down is over, and play ceases until the beginning of the next play. A tackle is known as a quarterback sack
when the quarterback
is tackled behind the line of scrimmage
while attempting to throw a pass. A tackle for loss indicates a tackle that causes a loss of yardage for the opposing running back or wide receiver. A sack does not count as a tackle for loss. When a player who does not have the ball is taken down it is generally referred to as a block.
Tacklers are not required to wrap their arms around the ball carrier before bringing him to the ground; in fact, the ball carrier is often "tackled" by the defender taking a running start and hitting the ball carrier to knock them to the ground. Tackles can also be made by grabbing the ball carrier's jersey and pulling him to the ground. As mentioned above, the referee can declare that a play is dead if the ballcarrier's forward progress has been stopped, even if no actual "tackle" has occurred.
There are some restrictions on tackles and blocks. At no time may a defensive player tackle an offensive player by grabbing the facemask of a football helmet
; doing so incurs a 15 yard penalty and the victimized team gets a new set of downs. Although spear tackles are allowed in gridiron football, a player may not use his helmet to tackle an opponent since the technique can cause serious injury to both players (more often the tackler, due to the considerable amount of force generated from the head tackle attempt, which is beyond the limit that the neck can handle) and also warrants a 15 yard penalty as well as a fresh set of downs if committed by the defending team; this is known as "spearing the player." Grabbing a ball carrier by the pads behind his neck and pulling him down is known as a "horse collar," a method which has been made illegal at all levels of American football.
It is also illegal to tackle a player who has thrown a forward pass (generally a quarterback) after he has released the ball, doing so is called "roughing the passer" and is a 15 yard penalty and a fresh set of downs. However, in the NFL a player can continue forward for one step, which means that often a player who is committed to attacking the quarterback will still make a tackle. Place kickers and punters are afforded an even greater protection from being tackled. Once the play is ruled over absolutely no contact is permitted, any player who makes contact with an opponent after the play is charged with "unnecessary roughness" and his team is assessed a fifteen yard penalty. Blocks that occur in the back of the legs and below the knees, initiated below the waist, or clotheslines are also, generally, prohibited and players who do them can expect far more severe penalties than other illegal tackles. Players that play on the line can block below the knees (cut block) as long the block is within 5-yards of the line, and the player they are blocking is in front of them and not engaged by another blocker (chop block).
Tackle
is also the name of player positions of interior linemen on both the offensive and defensive teams. Usually there is a left and right tackle on each team, though sometimes on defense there is only a single "nose tackle."
is a hybrid game between Australian rules football
and Gaelic football
.
Tackling in International Rules is subject to similar rules as Australian rules football, but with some subtle differences. Tackling is only allowed as low as the waist, whereas it is allowed down to the knees in Aussie Rules. One handed tackling has been banned in IR since the 2008 International Rules Series
.
In rugby league
the ball-carrier only may be tackled by any number of defenders from any direction. The initial contact in the tackle must be made below the ball carrier's neck or it will be deemed a high tackle and penalised. A tackle in rugby league is completed when any of the following occurs:
Once the tackle is completed the ball-carrier must be allowed to get to his feet to 'play-the-ball'. Spear tackle
s are illegal in rugby league, with most tackles in which the defender is lifted 'above the horizontal' bringing about penalties in the modern game.
In rugby union
, a player must be brought to ground for a tackle to be completed. The tackled player must release the ball, but the ball is not dead and a ruck forms to contest possession of it. If the ball carrier is not brought the ground a maul will usually form.
Tackling with studs up is considered dangerous, although it is not always punished.
and hurling
, while hockey
and shinty
feature similar bumping or shoulder barging moves.
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"...
have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend.
The word is used in some contact
Contact sport
Many sports involve a degree of player-to-player or player-to-object contact. The term "contact sport" is used in both team sports and combat sports, medical terminology and television game shows, such as the Gladiators and Wipeout, to certain degrees...
variations of football to describe the act of physically holding or wrestling a player to the ground. In others, it simply describes one or more methods of contesting for possession of the ball. It can therefore be used as both a defensive or attacking move.
Name origin
In Middle Dutch, the verb tacken meant to grab or to handle. By the 14th century, this had come to be used for the equipment used for fishing, referring to the rod and reel, etc., and also for that used in sailing, referring to rigging, equipment, or gear used on ships. By the 18th century, a similar use was applied to harnesses or equipment used with horses. Modern use in football comes from the earlier sport of rugby, where the word was used in the 19th century.It is also used in football game.
Australian rules football
Shepherding (Australian rules football)
Shepherding is a tactic and skill in Australian rules football, a team sport.Shepherding is the act of legally obstructing or preventing an opposing player from gaining possession of the ball or reaching the contest....
methods for teammates to be able to protect the ball carrier.
The variety of different ways to contest possession in Australian rules has led to first time observers of the game regarding it as having "no rules" or as some Australians unfamiliar with the game colloquially term it "Rafferty's Rules". Despite these stereotypes, however, there are actually quite strict rules governing tackling.
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...
, the move commonly described as a "tackle" is similar to in rugby and involves wrapping, holding or wrestling a player who has possession of the ball to the ground.
Tackling in Australian Rules is unique in that if tackled player does not dispose of the ball having had opportunity to do so (called the holding the ball
Holding the ball
Holding the ball is a law in Australian Rules Football. It is necessary to prevent players from slowing down play. Instead of the umpire having to bounce the ball , it allows the defence a way to take possession directly from the attacking team.-Main Interpretation:The most basic description of...
rule), or concedes a penalty in the tackle (i.e. tries to throw the ball when he was only allowed to "handball" or kick it) the tackler is rewarded with a free kick
Free kick (Australian rules football)
A free kick in Australian rules football is a penalty awarded by a field umpire to a player who has been infringed by an opponent or is the nearest player to a player from the opposite team who has broken a rule.-Protocol:...
. This is only paid if the player tackling does not either deliberately or unintentionally hold the ball to their opponents body.
A tackle must make contact below the shoulders and above the knees, and a player is able to be thrown to the ground, so long as the tackle is not reckless. There are also rules outlawing pushing in the back making tackling more difficult.
Players wear little to no padding to cushion the impact of tackles, however mouthguards are essential for keeping teeth. As there is no offside rule in Australian rules, tackling is more often when chasing a player down rather than frequent on head on contact.
Types of tackles in Australian rules
There are many types of tackles in Australian rules football:- perfect tackle – when a player lays a tackle on an opponent that has had prior opportunity to dispose of the ball and in the process makes it impossible for their opponent to dispose of the ball. For example if a tackler pins an opponent's arm, then the opponent cannot possibly handballHandball (Australian rules football)Handball is a term in the sport of Australian rules football which describes a method of disposing of possession of the football by hand. It is the most frequently used alternative to kicking the ball...
, and if they pin both arms, then it is nearly impossible to legally execute a kick. A player is almost always rewarded for a perfect tackle (except in the case of a slam tackle – see below). - gang tackle – when the player in possession is tackled by more than one opponent at the same time.
- high tackle – any tackle which infringes on the opponent's neck or head. This includes any tackle which slips above the A/C joint. This is illegal and the penalty is a free kick.
- coathanger – slang for high contact to the head, usually by a stiff arm, which causes a player to land flat on their back. It is often accidental due to the high pace of the game. The penalty may be a free kick if deemed accidental or a reportable offence which may result in suspension.
- diving tackle – when a player leaves the ground in attempting to tackle
- slinging – a player slung to the ground in a tackle (although in the AFL these days, if a player loses possession of the ball while they are being thrown, the tackler will often get penalised for "holding the man".)
- broken tackle – when a player is able to break free of a tackle
- spear tackleSpear tackleA spear tackle is a dangerous tackle in rugby union, rugby league and Australian rules football whereby a player lifts another player into the air and dumps or drops them upside down...
– also known as a dangerous throw, it is a reportable offenceAFL TribunalThe AFL Tribunal is the disciplinary tribunal of the Australian Football League .-Points system:Source: AFL Tribunal 2011 Guidebook...
and may result in suspension. - push in the back – Any tackle which forces the player forward, into the ground, or both, from behind. This is an illegal tackle and the penalty is a free kick.
- bump or hip and shoulder tackle is a legal Aussie rules tactic for both dispossession of the player with the ball and also impeding players involved in a contest but not in possession of the ball. The difference between a bump and a tackle is that arms are not used in a bump, which must be made side-on using the hip and or shoulder. Not all bumping is legal, however. Aggressive head on bumping or "charging" of a player with the ball is often described as "rough play" and is a reportable offence, this is particularly so if a player is deemed to have their head down over the ball in an attempt to picking it up off the ground when the bump is applied or contact is made above the shoulders. Standing ground against an oncoming player, however, is legal.
- slam tackle – relatively new term for a tackle which results in an opponent's head being deliberately slammed to the ground. It is often associated with the pinning of the arms of an opponent so that they cannot cushion the impact of their head on the ground. Although tolerated in days gone by in recent years, in 2009, the AFL branded this a dangerous type of tackle. Incidents in the professional AFL involving Byron PickettByron PickettByron Pickett is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played with three clubs in the AFL. He was known as a big game player as well as for his strength, hard bumps and tough approach to the game. Pickett is one of 12 players with two premiership medallions, a Norm Smith Medal...
and Darren MilburnDarren MilburnDarren Milburn , is an AFL assistant Coach for the Adelaide Crows and a retired Australian rules footballer who played for the Geelong Football Club in the Australian Football League...
have come under particular scrutiny. - wing tackle or chicken wing tackle – when one arm is pinned in a tackle. After sustaining severe damage from this type of tackle during the 2009 AFL season2009 AFL season-Round 1 :-Round 2:-Round 3 :-Round 4:-Round 5 :-Round 6:-Round 7:-Round 8:-Round 9 :-Round 10:...
, Brent HarveyBrent HarveyBrent "Boomer" Harvey is an Australian rules footballer and the current captain of the North Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League ....
called for this type of tackle to be banned.
Great tacklers in the AFL are Brett Kirk
Brett Kirk
Brett Kirk is a former Australian rules football player of the Sydney Swans, and is known colloquially as "Kirky", "Captain Kirk", during the 2005 AFL Finals Series, "Captain Blood" and by teammates as "Hippy". Kirk is a hard working and onfield leader who has played in a premiership with the...
, David Rodan
David Rodan
David Rodan is a professional Australian rules footballer currently playing for the Port Adelaide Football Club.Rodan is the first Fijian-born player to reach 100 AFL games.-Early life:...
, Jude Bolton
Jude Bolton
Jude Bolton is an Australian rules football player with the Sydney Swans of the AFL. Bolton currently holds the record for most tackles in a VFL/AFL career....
, Rhan Hooper
Rhan Hooper
Rhan Hooper is a former Australian rules footballer who has played for the Brisbane Lions and the Hawthorn Hawks of the Australian Football League...
, James McDonald
James McDonald (footballer)
James McDonald is an Australian rules footballer, currently contracted to in the Australian Football League . He previously played for and captained the Melbourne Football Club.- Career :...
, Aaron Davey
Aaron Davey
Aaron Davey is a professional Australian rules football player of Indigenous Australian heritage. He currently plays for the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League ....
and Alwyn Davey
Alwyn Davey
Alwyn Davey is a professional Australian rules footballer who currently plays for the Essendon Football Club of the Australian Football League.-Early life:...
.
Other tackling methods
Although the term "ackle" is used in Australian Rules to exclusively describe wrapping, holding or wrestling a player in possession, there are also several other ways of contesting possession in Australian rules that other sports would describe as a "tackle" and that also involve a degree of contact.Other defensive actions are generally categorised as one percenters
One percenter (Australian football)
A one percenter is a statistic kept in Australian football, and relates to a variety of actions which benefit the team, but are infrequent or defensive.-History:...
.
Colliding with other players whilst trying to catch or mark
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 is part of the game, however tackling a player jumping in the air to catch a ball is strictly not allowed. Bumping a player who is jumping to catch the ball is not allowed unless the player is deemed to have intentions to contest for possession or have "eyes for the ball". The defensive tactic of punching away (commonly known as spoiling) from a player is allowed. Smothering, which involves using the arms or body to get in the way of an opponent's kick as it leaves their boot, and is similar to a charge down in rugby football.
Gaelic football
Gaelic footballGaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
defines tackling as wresting the ball from an opponent's hands. Bumping is allowed on the player with the ball, but a player cannot be grabbed.
American and Canadian football (gridiron football)
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
and Canadian football
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
, to tackle is to physically interfere with the forward progress of a player in possession of the ball, such that his forward progress ceases and is not resumed, or such that he is caused to touch some part of his body to the ground other than his feet or hands, or such that he is forced to go out of bounds. In any such case, the ball becomes dead, the down is over, and play ceases until the beginning of the next play. A tackle is known as a quarterback sack
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
when the quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
is tackled behind the line of scrimmage
Line of scrimmage
In American and Canadian football a line of scrimmage is an imaginary transverse line beyond which a team cannot cross until the next play has begun...
while attempting to throw a pass. A tackle for loss indicates a tackle that causes a loss of yardage for the opposing running back or wide receiver. A sack does not count as a tackle for loss. When a player who does not have the ball is taken down it is generally referred to as a block.
Tacklers are not required to wrap their arms around the ball carrier before bringing him to the ground; in fact, the ball carrier is often "tackled" by the defender taking a running start and hitting the ball carrier to knock them to the ground. Tackles can also be made by grabbing the ball carrier's jersey and pulling him to the ground. As mentioned above, the referee can declare that a play is dead if the ballcarrier's forward progress has been stopped, even if no actual "tackle" has occurred.
There are some restrictions on tackles and blocks. At no time may a defensive player tackle an offensive player by grabbing the facemask of a football helmet
Football helmet
A football helmet is a protective device used primarily in American football and Canadian football. It consists of a hard plastic top with thick padding on the inside, a face mask made of one or more plastic bars, and a chinstrap. Some players add polycarbonate visors to their helmets, which are...
; doing so incurs a 15 yard penalty and the victimized team gets a new set of downs. Although spear tackles are allowed in gridiron football, a player may not use his helmet to tackle an opponent since the technique can cause serious injury to both players (more often the tackler, due to the considerable amount of force generated from the head tackle attempt, which is beyond the limit that the neck can handle) and also warrants a 15 yard penalty as well as a fresh set of downs if committed by the defending team; this is known as "spearing the player." Grabbing a ball carrier by the pads behind his neck and pulling him down is known as a "horse collar," a method which has been made illegal at all levels of American football.
It is also illegal to tackle a player who has thrown a forward pass (generally a quarterback) after he has released the ball, doing so is called "roughing the passer" and is a 15 yard penalty and a fresh set of downs. However, in the NFL a player can continue forward for one step, which means that often a player who is committed to attacking the quarterback will still make a tackle. Place kickers and punters are afforded an even greater protection from being tackled. Once the play is ruled over absolutely no contact is permitted, any player who makes contact with an opponent after the play is charged with "unnecessary roughness" and his team is assessed a fifteen yard penalty. Blocks that occur in the back of the legs and below the knees, initiated below the waist, or clotheslines are also, generally, prohibited and players who do them can expect far more severe penalties than other illegal tackles. Players that play on the line can block below the knees (cut block) as long the block is within 5-yards of the line, and the player they are blocking is in front of them and not engaged by another blocker (chop block).
Tackle
Tackle (American football)
Tackle is a playing position in American and Canadian football. Historically, in the one-platoon system a tackle played on both offense and defense. In the modern system of specialized units, offensive tackle and defensive tackle are separate positions....
is also the name of player positions of interior linemen on both the offensive and defensive teams. Usually there is a left and right tackle on each team, though sometimes on defense there is only a single "nose tackle."
International rules football
International rules footballInternational rules football
International rules football is a team sport consisting of a hybrid of football codes, which was developed to facilitate international representative matches between Australian rules football players and Gaelic football players....
is a hybrid game between 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...
and Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
.
Tackling in International Rules is subject to similar rules as Australian rules football, but with some subtle differences. Tackling is only allowed as low as the waist, whereas it is allowed down to the knees in Aussie Rules. One handed tackling has been banned in IR since the 2008 International Rules Series
2008 International Rules Series
The 2008 International Rules series was the 10th annual International Rules Series and the 16th time that a test series of international rules football has been played between Ireland and Australia....
.
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...
the ball-carrier only may be tackled by any number of defenders from any direction. The initial contact in the tackle must be made below the ball carrier's neck or it will be deemed a high tackle and penalised. A tackle in rugby league is completed when any of the following occurs:
- The attacking player's ball-carrying arm comes into contact with the ground while still held by a defender.
- Although still on his feet, the attacking player's forward momentum has ceased while still held by a defender.
- The referee calls "Held".
Once the tackle is completed the ball-carrier must be allowed to get to his feet to 'play-the-ball'. Spear tackle
Spear tackle
A spear tackle is a dangerous tackle in rugby union, rugby league and Australian rules football whereby a player lifts another player into the air and dumps or drops them upside down...
s are illegal in rugby league, with most tackles in which the defender is lifted 'above the horizontal' bringing about penalties in the modern game.
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...
, a player must be brought to ground for a tackle to be completed. The tackled player must release the ball, but the ball is not dead and a ruck forms to contest possession of it. If the ball carrier is not brought the ground a maul will usually form.
Association football
In association football, a player tackles an opponent by taking control of the ball from them. This is achieved by using either leg to wrest possession from the opponent, or sliding in on the grass to knock the ball away. The target of the tackle must always be the ball, otherwise it may be deemed as illegal by the referee, especially if the player makes contact with his opponent before the ball, or makes unfair contact with the player after playing the ball. If the tackle comes from the front or the side and succeeds in touching the ball first a player may still be penalised if the tackle endangers an opponent. Tackling with both legs is illegal. Although tackles from behind were formerly illegal, tackles can now be legally made from any direction, so long as contact with the ball is made and the tackle is not excessively dangerous. This explicitly includes "scissoring" (tackling with legs apart, so as to trap the opponent's leg or legs in between), which is likely to be punished with a straight ejection (red card), as it poses a high risk of severe knee injury to the player being tackled. If a tackle is deemed legal, then play continues.Tackling with studs up is considered dangerous, although it is not always punished.
Other uses
Other non-football games that feature tackling or similar concepts include British bulldogsBritish Bulldogs (game)
British bulldogs is a tag-based game, of which Red Rover and Cocky Laura are descendants, played mainly in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and other Commonwealth countries by children at school. It was originated in Great Britain...
and hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
, while hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
and shinty
Shinty
Shinty is a team game played with sticks and a ball. Shinty is now played mainly in the Scottish Highlands, and amongst Highland migrants to the big cities of Scotland, but it was formerly more widespread, being once competitively played on a widespread basis in England and other areas in the...
feature similar bumping or shoulder barging moves.
Allowable tackle types
| sliding tackle Sliding tackle A sliding tackle or slide tackle is a tackle in soccer in which a player attempts to take the ball away from an opposing player by deliberately leaving his feet and sliding along the ground with one leg extended to push the ball away from the opposing player.Sliding tackles can often be sources of... |
spear tackle Spear tackle A spear tackle is a dangerous tackle in rugby union, rugby league and Australian rules football whereby a player lifts another player into the air and dumps or drops them upside down... |
dump tackle Dump tackle The dump tackle is a tackling technique favoured mainly by rugby league players. The tackler wraps his arms around the ball carrier's thighs and lifts him a short distance in the air before forcibly driving him to the ground. The tackler must go to ground with the ball carrier for the tackle to be... |
body tackle | ankle tap Ankle tap An ankle-tap or tap-tackle is a form of tackle used in rugby league or rugby union.It is used when the player carrying the ball is running at speed and a defending player is approaching from behind... |
diving tackle | bumping/blocking | shoulder charge | steal/intercept ball | Chicken wing Chicken wing tackle A chicken wing tackle is a move in Rugby League and Australian Football, in which a player locks an opponent's arm so that he or she cannot legally move the ball. It is a controversial move that has injured players and resulted in fines for players performing the tackle... |
other | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spoil, Shepherd, Smother | |||||||||||
| Charge down | |||||||||||
| Charge down |
Controversial techniques
- spear tackleSpear tackleA spear tackle is a dangerous tackle in rugby union, rugby league and Australian rules football whereby a player lifts another player into the air and dumps or drops them upside down...
(dangerous throw) – (illegal in both rugby codes and Australian rules) - high tackle (illegal head-high tackle) – rugby league and Australian rules (see also coathangerCoathanger (Australian rules football)A coathanger is a dangerous high tackle in Australian rules football, Rugby League, and Rugby Union.It occurs when a running player is stopped by an arm to the chest or neck and usually gets knocked backward onto their back....
) - grapple tackleGrapple tackleA grapple tackle is a controversial tackling technique used in rugby league. It has gained notoriety in Australia's National Rugby League competition whereby the tackler attempts to impede the ball carrier by applying a chokehold-like grip...
– a controversial rugby league tackling technique similar to a chokeholdChokeholdA chokehold or choke is a general term for grappling hold that critically reduces or prevents either air or blood from passing through the neck of an opponent. The restriction may be of one or both and depends on the hold used and the reaction of the victim...
http://www.smh.com.au/news/league/why-the-grapple-tackle-is-a-matter-of-life-and-death/2005/09/16/1126750128234.html. - chicken wing tackleChicken wing tackleA chicken wing tackle is a move in Rugby League and Australian Football, in which a player locks an opponent's arm so that he or she cannot legally move the ball. It is a controversial move that has injured players and resulted in fines for players performing the tackle...
– banned in rugby league - horse-collar tackleHorse-collar tackleThe horse-collar tackle is an American football or Canadian football maneuver in which a defender tackles another player by grabbing the back-inside of an opponent's shoulder pads. The technique is most closely associated with Pro Bowl safety Roy Williams...
– banned in gridiron football by the NFL, the NCAA, and the CFL. This tackle involves the defender reaching his hand inside the ball carrier's collar, grabbing the collar (and usually, the collar of the shoulder pads), and pulling player straight down or backwards and down. The tackle has the potential to cause severe injuries to the tackled player's neck, legs and ankles. It is considered an "equipment tackle", meaning the protective equipment used by the players is what is used to make the tackle (similarly, a face-mask tackle is considered an "equipment tackle"). The horse-collar was made infamous by former Dallas Cowboys free safety Roy Williams (now with the Cincinnati Bengals) when he performed it on former Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Terrell OwensTerrell OwensTerrell Owens is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. A six-time Pro Bowl selection, Owens has been one of the dominant receivers of his era...
(now with the Cincinnati Bengals).