There is nothing wrong with technique they were taught that, or should have been, at junior level for frig's sake. Confidence plays a big part in a defensive line as well as aggression. Talking though seems to be a major point as tries are being shipped in out wide due to a lack of speech to inform players to drift out wide. Could do with a Ben Harris right now to command a line and lead the way!

Coaching of players in this country is very poor at a junior level if my experience is anything to go by. Totally committed people but lacking in qualifications, experience & people skills. If we are relying on what we learned as juniors then I would suggest therein lies part of the problem. Unless someone screaming gerrintoem in a Brian Glover type tracksuit counts as coaching.

Haha so it's not just Bradford it's rugby league in general that needs reform!!! No the point was that tackling technique is not taught and they are professionals who know how to tackle, the main problem is how to run a defensive line successfully. I have played Rugby Union and League with representative honours and i cannot think of one training session apart from when i was 10 where i was taught the technique how to tackle. It's something you get told once and have it inbuilt into your head, or should do. Anytimne when one of my teams has a defensive lapse in a game, our training sessions consist of an attacking side playing the ball out wide with an overlap and the defensive team drifting out to cover and being vocal! That's what Bradford need!

Totally agree. They're actually not moving period. When we talk about guys shooting out of the line, a number of times it has been the case that they are where the line should be. The Halifax try before half time is a case in point. Herbert got off his line to give himself a chance while Lynch, Sibbitt and young Burgess were rooted to the spot while The hooker ran across the line in front of them.

If the defense can get up 5m -10m they are laughing, the one goes low one goes high and they are on their backs - thats what we get taught at scholarship

I'm not denying for a minute that defensive line drills aren't vital. But do you believe that all the wrestling training players now do is a waste of time? Do you think Bulldogs keeping Wigan out while the latter was camped on their line was down to luck? Wire nilling Cas ditto.

I think that Bradford especially need to train in the area's that they are deemed weakest and for me that is in their sliding defence. But tackling technique training can do no harm in all fairness I agree, but to be a great defensive side you have to believe you can defend a set of 6 and i don't think Bradford have this mentality.

Exactly mate, most of the people on here are screaming at people for shooting out, when its the others being lazy on the line that are the issue. In a Warrington side 10 players get there backsides off the line, the fullback holds and the 2 markers play the correct system. Platt, Herbert and Elliot are doing right but the others are letting them down by not pushing up to the advantage line and being aggresive.

Well im sorry your Scholarship coach taught you wrong. There is a different technique to be taught depending position. Forwards should be taught 2 high 3rd man then chops legs and rotates round to then join in the line whilst the first two in contact should twist round to 1st and 2nd marker postition. A two man tackle is a lost tackle! Any player at super league standard should be able to push or pull out of contact on a to man tackle

A stiff arm to the jaw obviates the need for all that fannying around I find.

Thank you Chris Burton.

Some interesting comments on the attitudes of some players. We'll see if heads go down to easy this week for sure.

The heads down comment is something I've been saying at the games for weeks. Never was it more obvious than at Salford. Started off both halves very well and looked dangerous until the very first mistake and then suddenly it was like someone had sent an electric shock through the whole team. Not sure I'd ever seen a more obvious case of confidence being killed from just one thing, and it happened in both halves! Since then I've noticed it loads.

I'm not going to suggest it's just a confidence thing as we all know it isn't. But I do firmly believe that confidence is a very big part of why things are so bad at the moment. It's obvious during the games and it's even obvious in the warm ups.

Not had many laughs this year TT, thanks!!

Sorry for dragging this thread up but something needs to be done for the start of the 2012 season.