The girls probably get dudded more than the men, it has been happening to them for years.
They didn't turn up today though, the defensive line is the poorest it has been all year, sharks are making ground with ease.
The reason we are getting beaten is poor defensive coaching. We are probably the worst at stopping post-tackle metres. We don't know how to stop opposition forwards. Consequently, we are losing the battle in the middle of the field, and can't stop teams running out of their own halves with ease.
Solution is simple. As soon as you see the opposition tuck the ball under their arm to charge foward, there is no way they are going to pass. Once that is recognised by the defence, there in no need for the defence to hit high to wrap up the ball. The ball is always going to die the the tackle.
The priority is to stop the leg-drive by going in low and hard. Most effective from the side or from behind. Less chance of being run over and knocked senseless. The bigger they are, the harder they fall!!
Until our coaches drill our youngsters on how to stop big boppers in their tracks, we will continue to be pushed backwards out of games.
Maybe some of our NRL boys such as De Belin & Stewart should be invited to the girls training sessions to show them how its done. How to time the leg-wrap; how to use the body & arms to apply a vice-like grip that will stop 100kg opponents dead in their tracks. Show them in slow motion how the best in the business do it. Gradually speed up the drills etc.... Create confidence that even the slightest of our girls can do this. Johnny Raper was not a big man, and Geoff Toovey even smaller.....but they had the technique to hold their own.
Any thoughts about this?