Smother North Melbourne Captain Adam Simpson Has Pulled Off a Few Spectacular Smothers This Season
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HOW TO PL AY maKING THE smOTHER North Melbourne captain Adam Simpson has pulled off a few spectacular smothers this season. He tells Howard Kotton how it is done. oaches often talk about paRT 13 OF A SERIEs – sMothERING the “one-percenters” that Smothering a kick or handball that saves a goal or creates a turnover, make a difference in a particularly one which results in a goal, can lift a team. Smothering ability, tight encounter. like all other skills, is developed through practice. CFans love to see their heroes Executing an effective smother: making a desperate lunge at an 1. Get as close as possible to the player with the ball. opponent and the perfect smother 2. Hands are thrust straight out from the hip across the direction of the kick. can lift a side. North Melbourne They are not raised above the head and are brought down on the foot. captain Adam Simpson is one of 3. Hands are together and fingers are spread to maximise chances of making an the best exponents of this skill in effective smother. the AFL. 4. Head is kept directly behind the hands and forearms for protection. “You don’t have to have talent 5. Eyes are fixed firmly on the ball to ensure the smother covers the ball and to to be good at smothering, it’s improve chances of gaining possession after the ball has been smothered. definitely a mindset,” Simpson said. “Everyone has got the ability “Byron Pickett was probably the technique has got a lot better, to do something like that. When one of the best. He was very good but it’s harder to get smothers in you see your teammate doing it, at anticipating when the ball was these days. it just shows that you’re switched going to be kicked and timing it so “Players are a lot quicker and on and the team is willing to do the smother was pure. they don’t like giving the ball up. If anything to win the game. “Anthony Stevens used to do a you get a couple of good ones in a “For me, it’s the one when couple of rippers every year. Glenn game, you’re doing pretty well.” someone is on the run and you Archer has done a couple and Simpson said smothering the can do that big dive across the leg I’ve seen Drew (Petrie) do them ball was a courageous act, but to smother the ball. The diving as well.” rated other “one-percenters” such smothers to prevent a shot on Simpson said he would try to as dropping back into the hole as goal are the ones you remember.” make a smother when it was too more courageous. While the Kangaroos do late to tackle an opponent. But he said the smother was not practise the smother “All you can do is prevent the an important part of a player’s much at training, Simpson disposal being effective and that’s make-up. and his teammates get in a few when you might try to smother,” “It’s probably just as important in the rooms as a warm-up he said. as your pressure and tackling,” he before games. But the increased pace of the said. “It’s part of the one-percenters “We get a bit of body contact game and changes to the way AFL that everyone does. and do a few practice tackles, football is played has made it more “You see a lot of players who do then do a few practice smothers, difficult to smother the ball. the smother all the time and you so we’re up and about for the “You used to get quick kicks see some guys who never do it. game,” the Kangaroos captain out of stoppages all the time, now “I think it just says a lot about said. “We get someone to kick the a lot of teams are told to keep you as a teammate. If you can rely LIFTING THE TEAM: ball as hard as they can.” control of the football and perhaps on someone to do the little things North Melbourne captain Over his career, Simpson has handball it first or try to break out like that, it lifts the team, a bit like Adam Simpson demonstrates a classic smother. played with some of the best into the clear before you attempt running backwards with the flight • Technical advice in This series courTesy exponents of the smother. to dispose of it,” he said. “I think of the ball.” ■ of The AFL developmenT deparTmenT. 68 AFL RECORD visit afl.com.au AFL RECORD visit afl.com.au 69.