Tackle (football move)
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Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. In most cases this move is one that prevents an opposing player from carrying out what they intend.
The word is used in some contact sports to describe the act of physically holding or wrestling a player to the ground. In other sports, it simply describes one or more methods of contesting for possession of the ball.
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[edit] Name origin
In Middle Dutch, the verb tacken meant to grab or to handle. By the 1300s, this had inspired a new use in sailing, referring to rigging, equipment, or gear used on ships. By the 1700s, 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 1800s.
[edit] American and Canadian football
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.
Tackle is also the name of player positions on both the offensive and defensive teams. Usually there is a left and right tackle on each team.
The man who is called by most the hardest man to tackle is Earl Campbell who played for the Oilers in the late 70's. Using tackle breaking techniques he ran his way into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
[edit] Australian rules football
Tackling is a key part of Aussie Rules and part of its spectator appeal.
As there is no offside rule in Aussie Rules, 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 Aussie Rules has led to first time observers of the game regarding it as having "no rules" or as some Australian's 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 your teeth. As there is no offside rule in Aussie Rules, tackling is more often when chasing a player down rather than frequent on head on contact.
[edit] Types of Tackles in Aussie Rules
There are many types of tackles in Australian rules football:
Great tacklers in the AFL are Brett Kirk, David Rodan, Jude Bolton, Rhan Hooper, James McDonald, Aaron Davey and Alwyn Davey.
[edit] Evasion skills
The player with possession of the ball can use evasion skills to avoid being tackled or caught holding the ball. These include:
[edit] Footwork
Techniques used before a tackle.
Current AFL players which have mastered these techniques and are rarely caught holding the ball are Robert Harvey and Chris Judd.
[edit] Breaking Skills
Current AFL players with great breaking skills include Gary Ablett, Jr., Daniel Kerr, Paul Chapman, Fraser Gehrig, Leon Davis and Barry Hall.
[edit] Other methods
[edit] 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. 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.
[edit] Gaelic football
Gaelic 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.
[edit] International rules football
International rules football 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.
[edit] Rugby football
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 tackles 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.
[edit] Association Football
- See also: Sliding tackle
In Football (soccer), 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, it is considered legal, regardless of whether the opponent cannot avoid being toppled by the tackler's leg afterwards. Tackling with both legs, or from behind is also illegal. 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.
[edit] Other Uses
Other non-football games that feature tackling or similar concepts include British Bulldogs and Hurling, while Hockey and Shinty feature similar bumping or shoulder barging moves.
