The high flying outside backs of rugby league who could cut it in the AFL
These are the rugby league aerialists so adept at marking the high ball they could transfer their skills to aussie rules, according to one former premiership winner.
NRL
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If Tommy Raudonikis were alive, he would be shaking his head at how the selection of a winger has dominated debate in the countdown to State of Origin.
Not a halfback. Not a fullback or hooker, but a winger.
The omission of Bulldogs winger Josh Addo-Carr from the Blues team for Origin I for the taller Daniel Tupou is a tactical ploy by NSW coach Brad Fittler.
Fittler is worried high-flying Queensland wingers Selwyn Cobbo and Xavier Coates may literally leap their way to victory over NSW.
Within parts of NSW, most notably along the streets of Belmore, Fittler has been slammed for the decision.
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However, what has been missed within the debate is how the NRL is turning to the skills of the AFL to sharpen its arsenal.
Injured Blues star Tom Trbojevic was a member of the Sydney Swans academy as a teenager. Blues debutant Stephen Crichton was targeted for a trial with the GWS Giants in 2018.
And only last year, at the Panthers, he worked with Giants defender Jake Stein to improve his aerial skills.
“He did some jumping lessons with us and it was about owning the space in the air,” Crichton said.
Sydney Swans premiership winner Nick Davis has been working as the Roosters’ kicking and catching coach since 2019.
“With the NRL rule changes your team’s kicking and catching have to be spot-on because of the seventh tackle restarts,’’ Davis said.
“Every club is looking for an advantage and using the techniques relied upon in the AFL … it’s like every club is trying to keep up with the arms race.’’
Proving Fittler hasn’t gone mad, Davis nominated the top-five NRL players he believes could make the crossover to the AFL – and Tupou is one of them.
LATRELL MITCHELL
“Latrell would be the closest athlete that I’ve seen to Lance ’Buddy” Franklin,’’ Davis said.
“His speed and power, his overhead catching and then his powerful long-kick is seriously compatible to AFL.
“He’s an all-round package, with fitness being the only real concern for the big fella. Having worked with Buddy and Latrell, the comparisons are that they are both freaks, who are naturals with the footy.’’
KALYN PONGA
Kalyn was a member of the Lions Academy team at 15, so there’s already knowledge that he is a prospect,’’ Davis said. “The way he moves across the field, he‘d be a real asset in the way he’d able to get across the ground.
“He‘d be a nightmare for a small defender to defend inside forward 50 because not only can move quickly off the mark, but he can catch too.
“He’s strong overhead, but then once the ball did get to ground level, he’d be seriously elusive.
“Being a left-footer also and being able to get shots on-goal, he’d be very handy there.’
STEPHEN CRICHTON
“Another player whose skills caught the attraction of the AFL with GWS,” Davis said.
“Crichton has proven he has the aerial skills, but his physique lends him to have a real ability at ground level.
“When the ball hits the ground, you‘d be confident in his ability to find the ball.
“He‘d be able to bring other players into the game at ground level.
“I also really like his competitiveness and his aggression to go after the ball in the air.”
JOSEPH SUAALII
“I’ve spent the last couple of seasons with Joseph and he’s a great kid,’’ Davis said.
“At the Roosters, he’s got great people to learn off and he asks the right questions and more importantly, he gives the right answers.
“In the AFL, he’d be athletic. He could be a midfield player, he could be a key forward, key back, he could play on the wing … he could play anywhere.
“He would be a dream magnet for anyone in the AFL.
“He can kick left and right foot, he can jump, he can run.
“Being confident of jumping into the collision and attacking the ball is what we’ve been teaching him and that’s what we teach AFL players when they practise taking marks’’
DANIEL TUPOU
“Toops (Tupou) has been the standard of aerial expertise in the NRL for a long time,” Davis said.
“Given Queensland’s two opposition wingers (Coates and Cobbo) that NSW are up against and their threat in the air, I can see why Fittler went Tupou.
“Transferable to the AFL for Tupou would be his solid aerial technique and he could play at either end of the field, as a key forward or key back.
“He could really use that leap as a defender.
“But it’s not just his aerial skills, he’s so tough carrying the footy.’’
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Originally published as The high flying outside backs of rugby league who could cut it in the AFL
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