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Tackle (football move)

Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling are to dispossess an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend.

Not to be confused with Tackle (gridiron football position).

The word is used in some contact variations of football to describe the act of physically holding or wrestling a player to the ground. In others, it simply describes one or more methods of contesting for possession of the ball. It can therefore be used as both a defensive or attacking move.

Name origin[edit]

In Middle Dutch, the verb tacken meant to grab or to handle. By the 14th century, this had come to be used for the equipment used for fishing, referring to the rod and reel, etc., and also for that used in sailing, referring to rigging, equipment, or gear used on ships. By the 18th century, 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 19th century.

perfect tackle – when a player lays a tackle on an opponent that has had prior opportunity to dispose of the ball and in the process makes it impossible for their opponent to dispose of the ball. For example, if a tackler pins an opponent's arm, then the opponent cannot possibly , and if they pin both arms, then it is nearly impossible to legally execute a kick. A player is almost always rewarded for a perfect tackle (except in the case of a slam tackle – see below).

handball

gang tackle – when the player in possession is tackled by more than one opponent at the same time.

– any tackle which infringes on the opponent's neck or head. This includes any tackle which slips above the A/C joint. This is illegal and the penalty is a free kick.

high tackle

coathanger – slang for high contact to the head, usually by a stiff arm, which causes a player to land flat on their back. It is often accidental due to the high pace of the game. The penalty may be a free kick if deemed accidental or a reportable offence which may result in suspension.

diving tackle – when a player leaves the ground in attempting to tackle

slinging – a player slung to the ground in a tackle

broken tackle – when a player is able to break free of a tackle

– also known as a dangerous throw in rugby, it is a reportable offence and may result in suspension

spear tackle

– Any tackle which forces the player forward, into the ground, or both, from behind. This is an illegal tackle and the penalty is a free kick.

push in the back

or hip and shoulder tackle is a legal Aussie rules tactic for both dispossession of the player with the ball and also impeding players involved in a contest but not in possession of the ball. The difference between a bump and a tackle is that arms are not used in a bump, which must be made side-on using the hip and or shoulder. Not all bumping is legal, however. Aggressive head on bumping or "charging" of a player with the ball is often described as "rough play" and is a reportable offence, this is particularly so if a player is deemed to have their head down over the ball in an attempt to picking it up off the ground when the bump is applied or contact is made above the shoulders. Standing ground against an oncoming player, however, is legal.

bump

slam tackle – relatively new term for a tackle which results in an opponent's head being deliberately slammed to the ground. It is often associated with the pinning of the arms of an opponent so that they cannot cushion the impact of their head on the ground. Although tolerated in days gone by in recent years, in 2009, the AFL branded this a dangerous type of tackle. Incidents in the professional AFL involving and Darren Milburn have come under particular scrutiny.[8]

Byron Pickett

wing tackle or – when one arm is pinned in a tackle. After sustaining severe damage from this type of tackle during the 2009 AFL season, Brent Harvey called for this type of tackle to be banned.[9]

Chicken wing tackle

Gaelic football[edit]

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.

International rules football[edit]

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. One handed tackling has been banned in International Rules since the 2008 International Rules Series.

The attacking player's ball or the hand or arm holding the ball comes into contact with the ground while still held by one or more defenders.

Although still on his feet, the attacking player's forward momentum has ceased while still held by one or more defender.

Being held by a defender, the attacking player makes it evident that he has succumbed to the tackle and wishes to be released in order to play-the-ball.

A defender places a hand on the attacking player lying on the ground.

Other uses[edit]

Other non-football games that feature ball-tackling or similar concepts include hurling, hockey and shinty, while tackling of people is featured in games like kabaddi. With the increasing popularity of football in the late 19th century, tackling had been integrated into field-based chasing games such as British Bulldog (game),[17] Pom-Pom-Pull-Away and British Bulldog.[18][19] For younger boys, these children's games became essential for the acquisition of football skills.[20][21]

(dangerous throw) – (illegal in both rugby codes and Australian rules)

spear tackle

(illegal head-high tackle) – rugby league and Australian rules (see also coathanger)

high tackle

– a controversial rugby league tackling technique similar to a chokehold.[22]

grapple tackle

– banned in rugby league

chicken wing tackle

– banned in gridiron football by the NFL, the NCAA, and the CFL. This tackle involves the defender reaching his hand inside the ball carrier's collar, grabbing the collar (and usually, the collar of the shoulder pads), and pulling player straight down or backwards and down. The tackle has the potential to cause severe injuries to the tackled player's neck, legs and ankles. It is considered an "equipment tackle", meaning the protective equipment used by the players is what is used to make the tackle (similarly, a face-mask tackle is considered an "equipment tackle"). The horse-collar was made infamous by Dallas Cowboys free safety Roy Williams when he performed it on Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Terrell Owens.

horse-collar tackle