Last week, I found myself venturing out of the city and deep into Country New South Wales for some coaching mentorship. Trading the familiar Brisbane cityscape for the rural landscapes west of Canberra, I journeyed four hours to Narrandera. There, I was set to host a coaching night for local mentors from the host club and neighbouring leagues.
The President of the Narrandera Lizards, affectionately known as ‘Bundy’ (though the origin of the nickname remains a mystery to many), was keen to get me to the local pub post-seminar. Despite my initial, albeit weak, resistance, I eventually succumbed to the suggestion. Joined by another coach I mentor, Kye, who had travelled a considerable distance to attend, I found myself obligated to partake in a few schooners with them – entirely under duress, of course.
It was in this relaxed atmosphere, fuelled by the loosening effects of a few drinks, that I shared my observations from the drive. Primarily, the peculiar sight of AFL posts dominating the landscape between Junee, the hometown of rugby league legend Laurie Daley, and Narrandera, with only the occasional animal for company.
Adding to this unusual observation, the Thursday night rugby league match unfolding on the pub’s screen also captured our attention. As we entered, the Brisbane Broncos appeared to be comfortably ahead of the Parramatta Eels, holding a 20-0 lead. However, by the time my coaching segment concluded, the score had dramatically shifted to 22-20 in favour of Parramatta, and it was only half-time!
With my back to the screen for much of the second half due to the seating arrangement, every time I turned around, it seemed another try had been scored. Coupled with the ubiquitous AFL posts I’d noticed, it was hard not to ponder if the sporting landscape was undergoing a significant shift.
The prevalence of AFL presence in areas traditionally dominated by rugby league is a topic for another day. However, what I want to delve into here is how players and coaches can adapt to the rapidly evolving nature of rugby league itself.
As editor Scott Pryde from Zero Tackle recently highlighted, the initial 16 games of the 2026 season have seen a substantial increase in points scored compared to the opening rounds of 2020, before the ‘six-again’ rule was implemented. This easily explains the near 15 extra points being scored per game.
Under pressure from a confused public and media, NRL boss Peter V’Landys has urged clubs to improve their discipline, suggesting that ‘six-again’ penalties will be applied less frequently. This places the onus squarely back on coaches and players.
For over two decades, coaches and players have largely focused on slowing down the ruck, primarily by preventing attackers from reaching the ground quickly to play the ball. Terms like ‘dance’ and ‘catch’ have become part of the tackling vernacular, describing techniques used to delay the attacker’s descent, as getting to the ground too fast puts the defence on borrowed time with the referee.
This strategy was far more effective pre-2020, when a penalty was less likely to result in an immediate ‘six-again’ call, allowing defences time to regroup. Now, an infringement can lead to a swift ‘six-again’ and no opportunity to recalibrate, potentially leaving defensive lines exposed and players gasping for air.
It has taken some time, but most clubs have finally begun shedding excess weight from their players during pre-season, with many formerly bulkier props now appearing leaner. However, the clubs have been generally slow to adapt in other crucial areas, particularly in their tackling techniques.
The sight of a player like Payne Haas, a prop, executing a try-scoring run through a defensive gap, set up by his teammate and a well-executed attacking shape, would have impressed many a back-rower. Haas himself is even starting to physically resemble one.
However, a more significant and slower adoption by clubs is in the fundamental way their players are tackling. The current focus remains too heavily on what happens after the tackle, rather than the tackle itself.
I predict this will be a major shift in the game as the year progresses, or perhaps a year or two away, given the sluggish reaction from some coaches. With referees enforcing the play-the-ball at a faster pace, defences are spending more time on the back foot.
Attempts at ‘catching’ or ‘dancing’ without a solid, momentum-stopping hit will increasingly allow attackers to brush off defenders or simply push them backwards. Players, accustomed to a ‘catch’ style of collision – akin to a forceful hug – are struggling to control the game’s momentum, which is a significant contributor to the escalating scorelines.
Peter V’Landys is correct; clubs must adapt. For a game that prides itself on innovation, the collective response from clubs has been remarkably slow. We are belatedly entering an era of tackling where solid shoulder contact to halt an attacker’s momentum is paramount, rather than simply attempting to control their movement.
It seems obvious: it’s far easier to control an attacker after delivering a solid shoulder tackle that stops them in their tracks than trying to catch them as they fall. Why this isn’t more widely recognised is puzzling.
Therefore, NRL coaches, it’s time to shift the focus back to the tackle itself – the impact, the hit.
In the meantime, I’ll continue to keep a watchful eye on all those AFL posts appearing in what has traditionally been our territory.
