The Penguin #6.
Juniors
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I saw something on the weekend that suggests union could have far greater problems on the horizon than worrying about signing League players.
Given southern hemisphere`s union penchant for copying things League on Saturday night when the Storm v. Penrith game became a non-event I flicked over to the union a couple of times ( not for long I promise ) anyway we all know that in League it is fashionable now to hold the tackle player up to delay the PTB and give defences time to reset.
I saw the exact same thing done by the Crusaders with exactly the same technique, 3 players around the attacker, two holding him up and one wrapping the ball up. The result was the same as the stalemate we have in League where the referee usually calls held and the attacker plays the ball.
The difference in union is that once you are tackled and hit the deck the tackled player is obliged to let go of the ball, or place it back. In the above situation because the player wasn`t allowed to get to ground and also unable to release the ball, the ref blew the whistle and penalised the attacking player for ` not releasing ` .
Now if this League tackle technique becomes more common in union, which they have a habit of doing, everytime a tackled player is held up and unable to release the ball there will be a penalty to the defending side and a handover.
Given how often this tackle technique occurs in League now if it starts occurring as often in union it will be absolutely disastrous. Could result in another penalty and stoppage every two or three tackles or everytime a player is held up off the ground and unable to release.
Given southern hemisphere`s union penchant for copying things League on Saturday night when the Storm v. Penrith game became a non-event I flicked over to the union a couple of times ( not for long I promise ) anyway we all know that in League it is fashionable now to hold the tackle player up to delay the PTB and give defences time to reset.
I saw the exact same thing done by the Crusaders with exactly the same technique, 3 players around the attacker, two holding him up and one wrapping the ball up. The result was the same as the stalemate we have in League where the referee usually calls held and the attacker plays the ball.
The difference in union is that once you are tackled and hit the deck the tackled player is obliged to let go of the ball, or place it back. In the above situation because the player wasn`t allowed to get to ground and also unable to release the ball, the ref blew the whistle and penalised the attacking player for ` not releasing ` .
Now if this League tackle technique becomes more common in union, which they have a habit of doing, everytime a tackled player is held up and unable to release the ball there will be a penalty to the defending side and a handover.
Given how often this tackle technique occurs in League now if it starts occurring as often in union it will be absolutely disastrous. Could result in another penalty and stoppage every two or three tackles or everytime a player is held up off the ground and unable to release.