Ruck `O `Clock

Focus

Front & Square, Decision Making, Stoppages, Gameplan/Strategy.

Skills

Shepherd, Ruck, Crumb.

Purpose

Teams should construct a system allowing onballers to communicate their run-to position to the ruckman. Elite level teams may even use codewords to convey this, but the one of the more simple methods is the 'clock' method, teaching ruckman to aim their hitout towards a called clockface position.

Players

10⁺

Ages

11⁺

Balls

Cones

Distance (max)

20m

Setup
Choose either 2, 4, 6 or 8 talls as ruckmen, depending on numbers - each ruckman requires 3 more players to make a group of 4. One player in the group is given an opposition strip. The other 2 will be the ruckman's teammates.
Step 1
The 3 onballers (ruck and 2 followers) gather close and organise who is calling for the ball, and the 'clock' position they want it tapped towards. The recipient (B) assumes a position where they can be first to arrive to the arranged hit zone

Teammate (C) should stand between (D) and the hit zone to clear a path for (B)
Step 2
A coach or injured player throws the ball up. When the ball is in the air, player (B) moves towards the arranged 'time', e.g. 3'o'clock in the diagram. (C) ensures that (D) will not block or beat (B) to the hit zone.

(D) can either apply token pressure, or you can make this a hard ball get by allowing contact.
Step 3
Stop once an onballer gains possession.
Step 4
Repeat the drill, randomly mix up which on-baller receives, and the 'time' or receiving position. Swap defenders after a few minutes.
Step 5
After 5 minutes, amalgamate 2 groups into one. The rucks from each group now be contest the ball up, however only 1 ruckman has onballers.

The opposing ruckman and (D) don't try to effect a clearance, they simply apply pressure
Step 6
After each turn, groups of 3 sit out in rotation, and the two ruckman alternate the role of being teammates with the onballers. Swap defenders after a few minutes.