Attacking common 'Defence Policies'

Players need to recognize that there're 3 areas of defence on the touch field. These 3 areas/zones should have their own individual policies specific to the field position and ability of the opposition.

First Zone - Kill or Shoot Defence

This zone will see teams attempting to get off their line and out of their own half. The KILL/SHOOT D. is commonly used to isolate and prevent teams from achieving a good momentum advancing off their line. It is important that defenders do not buy wraps or dummies, by applying pressure in the face of the attacking side forcing possible errors, isolations and principally to prevent them from getting a good go ahead using their cohesive rucking patterns.

Key elements in this defensive policy:
- provide protection by covering up behind the shooting players
- this policy should not see the same player making touches in a row as this work load should be equally shared.

Second Zone - Slide Defence

This applies when the attacking team has gained good yardage from thier cohesive rucking patterns and are situated somewhere in the middle part of the field. Defensive players maintain the line of defence without overcommiting but instead slide along the 'gain line' in an effort to adjust to the attacking advancement. It is important for players to cover wraps and inside passes. Communication is vital amongst the defensive line in all 3 zones.

Third Zone - Line Defence

The modern game has seen a variety of defensive styles since the advent of the 6 aside game from the 7 aside variant. Initially, teams had to adopt a "run like hell policy" which means having to come to terms with steppers who have superior directional changing abilties. Eventually, teams have adapted by introducing defensive policies which better prepared them against their more athletic and flamboyant counterparts.

Common line defence policies

#1 CHASE OUT DON'T CHASE IN

The term refers to chasing out from between the middle position away to the sidelines. A defender should mark up against the opposite player covering them from running around their outside.



If a defender were to chase out and the attacker were to step back inside them, a defending player should not turn and chase in towards the middle line as they would leave themselves open to an overlap of players from either a wrap, sweep or switch play.

EG.



Here an attacking link runs in and a defending link chases in, allowing a switch to creat a 2 v 1 scenario.

The above material was mostly adapted from some resource on the internet. Except for some minor editing by me, I do not claim to be primary author of this material, except for that which can be explicitly seen. I may post a couple more basic defensive policies over the next month or so from the same source. This is really basic stuff so i won't expect many of you to take an interest but for those a lil' wet behind the ears, you might not wanna turn your nose up so soon. It may also serve as a back-to-basics refresher for some.

You can find more info at Queensland Touch