In rugby, a gun player might have to contend with extra defenders, but at the end of the day he is still given the ball. In soccer, a stopper can impose only so much physical pressure without being called for a foul.
But in the AFL, the sole purpose of some taggers is to deny their opponent the football by shadowing him all over the field and physically harassing him to blunt his influence on the game.
If you are tagged, you are virtually carrying around a backpack (or a caravan - depending on the size of your opponent) for 120 minutes.
So how do you cope with a tag? Here are my top five tips:
1. Accept that a tag is a mark of respect
Tagging shows that an opposition side considers you important. Craig Lambert, who works at our club and was a great player for Richmond and Brisbane, always tells me he used to be insulted when he didn’t get the No.1 opposition tag. Now when a tagger comes to me at the start of a game, I see it as an honour.
2. Lift your work rate
The best way to beat a tag is to work harder. Around the stoppages, beat your opponent to the ball by pushing off hard or forcing him into positions that make him uncomfortable.
Try changing your starting points - set up in front of the contest sometimes, and behind or off the contest at others. When the ball breaks, run hard to get space between the two of you.
If your fitness is good, run all day. Sometimes duels can be won in the second half as your tagger starts to tire and lose concentration; St Kilda’s Robert Harvey was amazing at this.
Also, don’t forget about the defensive side of the game. While a tagger can choke your ball supply, he can’t stop you from laying tackles, chasing, pressuring, spoiling, talking and blocking for teammates. Even if you are not getting the ball - if you’re doing these then you’re making a great contribution to your team.
3. Play smart
You should always be aware that the opposition may send a tagger to you, so prepare for it during the week. Watch videos of opposition players and learn their strengths and weaknesses. Take heavier taggers lacking pace into space where a foot race becomes important. Work those who aren’t as fit until they become exhausted.
You can create two-on-one situations where you take your opponent over to one of his teammates who isn’t as accountable. This can free up one of your teammates and cause havoc for the opposition.
Your teammates can also protect you by providing blocks and physical pressure on your opponent. If taggers are playing on you then they should know they are playing your whole team.
Occasionally you can use the interchange to get time away from a tag by making your changes fast and frequent. There is nothing more frustrating for a tagger than when their opponent gets the ball while they are still stuck on the pine.
4. Sometimes a draw is a win
Modern day football sees very good tagging players like Kane Cornes and Brett Kirk not only stop their opponents from having an influence on the game but also rack up a large number of possessions themselves.
Sometimes when your tagging player is winning plenty of the football, you need to become more defensive and deny him the ball. When playing on players like these you need to be more accountable because they can hurt you when their team has possession. If you both walk off with equal touches and your team has won, then a draw is as good as a win
5. Don’t use the umpires
Forcing your opponent into an umpire to gain an advantage is a massive ‘no-no’ in today’s game. If a player does push his opponent into an umpire he can now be suspended or heavily fined. Umpires should rightfully be protected so steer clear, otherwise it could become a very expensive exercise.
Good luck with beating those dirty taggers!
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL
