Is touch footy RL?

[kbw]

Is touch football RL , definitely not. There are similarities.
But the worst thing is the idiots playing touch that never played RL but think they are when playing touch. I certainly don't want to encourage that anymore.

I think the NRL has hit the wall as far as expansion into non-RL areas and its a complete waste of money to push it too much. What is happening is the juniors in established RL areas are being neglected.

 

[LeagueLegend]

The problem for touch footy is that they duly adopted the 10m rule as well...and in that form of RL you can actually see attackers running at defenders (to get the free 10m for their team), rather than trying to avoid the defenders with a step or a pass.

The only time you'll be separated for 10m is at the start of the half and if you are awarded a penalty. Otherwise they operate under the 5 metre rule.

 

[JB]

Is touch football RL , definitely not. There are similarities.
But the worst thing is the idiots playing touch that never played RL but think they are when playing touch. I certainly don't want to encourage that anymore.

Yeah. Especially those idiots that drop their shoulder as if their trying to bust a tackle. Come across a few of those types who even do it in the mixed grade with women and kids.

Also RL1908. Defenders only have to be back 5m. The only time it's 10 is from penalties or tap offs.

 

[Thomas]

I used to see the touch guys prancing around uni in their short shorts with the shaved legs thinking they were tough as nails.

I was playing both RL and RU for uni at that stage and would come back to the dorms covered in stiches and with black eyes thinking "play a man's game ya big pansies".

I don't actually like organised touch. Its too 'serious'. I've seen so many touch games blow up into fights because of wankers. Give me a BBQ and a field and 12 or so mates.

Oh and a ball.

 

[RL1908]

Also RL1908. Defenders only have to be back 5m. The only time it's 10 is from penalties or tap offs.

Agree. In touch though a trend has developed for the attackers to deliberate run at defenders to be touched, and therefore force the defenders line backwards- did I see a few bad games or is that fairly typical?

 

[Parra]

Agree. In touch though a trend has developed for the attackers to deliberate run at defenders to be touched, and therefore force the defenders line backwards- did I see a few bad games or is that fairly typical?

You actually run forward with your hand out to initiate a touch. A smart defender will step back, forcing the attacker to either keep ambling forward or to play the ball without any contact, thereby gaining possession for the defender.

It is a screwed up tactic, but it works. Sort of like dummy half scoots & running one off the ruck with no intention of passing or hitting a gap.

 

[JB]

Agree. In touch though a trend has developed for the attackers to deliberate run at defenders to be touched, and therefore force the defenders line backwards- did I see a few bad games or is that fairly typical?

Yes that's typical, but not bad play.

The whole idea is to initiate a roll on by getting fast plays of the ball, thereby getting the defensive line going backwards. Once that D line is going backwards it becomes a lot easier to put on set plays or, carry on making yards. Similar philosphy to league except you dont have to worry about getting held down in tackles.

 

[Man_of_Steel_1982]

An effective counter to the AFL's Aus-kick numbers perhaps?

Absolutely!

I'm a school teacher and also play and ref touch. My experience with school is kids definately see it as a version of Rugby League. Some in-school competitions I've organised result in kids during the week in the classroom and playground focussing on the actual touch comp blurred with talking about the footy (NRL). Sort of a League themed fever.

I've turned away the guys from Aus-Kick to do my own thing... if I didn't do that they would have suceeded in planting an AFL seed in the school.

You're spot on. Touch would be the ideal "foundation" for league to build on down the track. ARL development officers, get out and organise school touch comps and PE skills lessons.

OZ-Tag is no good. The children never master it as well / quickly as touch. Too messy as they try and grab the tags etc. Touch flows and before long they really take to it and the standard is high.

 

[RL1908]

Absolutely!

I'm a school teacher and also play and ref touch. My experience with school is kids definately see it as a version of Rugby League. Some in-school competitions I've organised result in kids during the week in the classroom and playground focussing on the actual touch comp blurred with talking about the footy (NRL). Sort of a League themed fever.

I've turned away the guys from Aus-Kick to do my own thing... if I didn't do that they would have suceeded in planting an AFL seed in the school.

You're spot on. Touch would be the ideal "foundation" for league to build on down the track. ARL development officers, get out and organise school touch comps and PE skills lessons.

OZ-Tag is no good. The children never master it as well / quickly as touch. Too messy as they try and grab the tags etc. Touch flows and before long they really take to it and the standard is high.

That's good to hear - keep fighting the good fight - well done!

The other thing that touch (RL) has over Aus-kick (AFL) is that the latter is not a game at all, it is a kids training session.

Also touch (obviously) can be cotinued outside the school system and as an adult.

Whereas with Aust rules, is there any equivalent to RL's touch/Oztag? Anyone know?

 

[*Paul*]

But the worst thing is the idiots playing touch that never played RL but think they are when playing touch. I certainly don't want to encourage that anymore..

That brings back memories, in just about every comp I played there'd be a team of these oafs. All thinking they were Terry Randall because they could push and shove in a minimal contact game.

 

[*Paul*]

Agree. In touch though a trend has developed for the attackers to deliberate run at defenders to be touched, and therefore force the defenders line backwards- did I see a few bad games or is that fairly typical?

That was how it was played (to some extent) in the 80s when I started, when I stopped 20 years later, it had become the whole game. Mostly a result of removing the marker.

 

[gottabegood]

That's good to hear - keep fighting the good fight - well done!

The other thing that touch (RL) has over Aus-kick (AFL) is that the latter is not a game at all, it is a kids training session.

Also touch (obviously) can be cotinued outside the school system and as an adult.

Whereas with Aust rules, is there any equivalent to RL's touch/Oztag? Anyone know?

That's an oustanding fact, that it is just a one off short training session. Yet through their spin you would think that there are masses of kids regularly playing a touch footy AFL equivalent type game. And these kids mostly join in because of the free "lollies" handout.

And people here cannot grasp the fact how simple propaganda/spin can influence peoples perception and decision making. Well Aus-dribble is a case in point, but kudos to the AFL people for working it.

 

[LeagueLegend]

I don't know if it is a one off training session but a series of sessions, the other option is that it is held as a holiday session. From it though, the AFL counts every one as a participant which shows in the figures as those participating in AFL.

Not to be outdone, ARLD (ARL Development) does the same for it's Kids to Kangaroos Clinics. They have to be more than one session (in schools or at junior leagues) or held as a holiday clinic. To count the participants the Australian Sports Commission has to see they have registered and paid a fee ($1). So if the clinic costs $30 - $1 goes to the ASC to count them as a participant of the sport to get more govt. funding, about $20 goes to the gear they get (ball, bag, waterbottle, hat or a variation of that combination) the rest goes towards expenses and the what ever is left over is profit.

You won't get ARLD officers teaching touch or running touch carnivals. That is a clear line in the sand they are not allowed to cross, be it from ARLD and its charter for RL development and in respect that there are Touch Development Officers too (albeit not as many).

 

[gottabegood]

Well my niece went to a short, one off session (akick), anyone else got experience with it.

 

[*Paul*]

Whereas with Aust rules, is there any equivalent to RL's touch/Oztag? Anyone know?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rec_footy

 

[Lockyer4President!]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rec_footy

A non-contact version of fumbleball? :crazy::lol:

 

[LeagueLegend]

Well my niece went to a short, one off session (akick), anyone else got experience with it.

I'm not really sure how they operate it now, my experience was what I detailed above. I'm not in the development realm at the moment so I don't really keep track of that part of it.

 

[KalgoorlieRed]

So how can all these great ideas then be actually implemented so the NRL have a connection the the Touch Association?

 

[LeagueLegend]

That's the question that's been asked over the last 8 or so pages.

They all have their own place, their development programs and share of the govt. funding pie. I can't see why any of them need to or want to give that up nor recognise what the other is doing just for publicity sakes as some have suggested. All three (League, Touch and Tag) are about selling the praises of their own product despite what little variations exist between them all.

 

[babyg]

A non-contact version of fumbleball? :crazy::lol:

Ha ha if a player is touched it is a requirement for at at 3 players from each team to fumble the ball on the ground for 2 minutes.

It's quite simple, the NRL and their clubs have to get off their ass and sponsor their local touch compeitions. Comn it's not hard for the Broncos or Roosters or anyone to give away free tickets to games each week to man of matches, winning teams, comp winners etc. NRL are tightasses and lack common sense.