FOR all the detail that goes into junior football development, Cris Brown is amazed at how little is taught about tackling.
The five-time Olympian wrester has been working with St Kilda at his business – Adrenaline Mixed Martial Arts Centre in Cheltenham.
While junior football coaches around the country preach the values of kicking, marking, handballing and hard running, Brown said there is scope for improvement in teaching the art of tackling.
“It’s so surprising that a lot of these young guys that come through wouldn’t have a clue. There are some guys who are natural at it but they still need refining,” Brown told saints.com.au.
“A lot of the guys who are so talented in everything else are vague in tackling. So it takes about a year or two before they start to get the whole patterns with a stronger body, a mature mind and practice.”
Brown has been taking the Saints for grappling training, teaching them how to execute proper tackles while also teaching other basics that come with being involved in a contact sport.
Not only has he competed in five Olympic meets, but Brown is also a black belt in jujitsu and has fought in cage matches, as well as playing his share of football.
“I’ve got a football background and we’ve converted certain things into techniques that young guys don’t understand,” he said.
“They are simple little things and you get to the stage where they are actual gameplay situations. I get the game and I understand how to convert it to this.”
Ruckman Ben McEvoy said he could see the clear benefits in the cross-training.
“It’s bloody tough but it is really good for that in tight contest stuff. A lot of clubs do it and we’ve done it for quite a few years on and off. It is pretty brutal and hard but very valuable I think,” McEvoy said.
“It’s good to use your body. If you get yourself in good, strong positions you don’t have to be as strong as the other bloke if you get yourself in a better position so it is certainly helpful in that regard.”
More than 23,000 Saints supporters have already united in 2013. Join them and sign up for a 2013 club membership by visiting saintsmembership.com.au or by ringing 1300 GO SAINTS (1300 467 246). Loyalty Unites Us.
