Contact Skills drill
Fend and Hand-Off
Create separation with a legal fend rather than a strike.
- Time
- 15 minutes
- Players
- 2 to 8 players
- Intensity
- Medium
- Equipment
- Ball, hit shield
- Space
- 10m channel
- Positions
- All positions
Setup
A 10m channel with a partner walking in off a shallow angle. A ball, and ideally a hit shield for them to hold so the fend lands on the shield rather than on them.
How to run it
- Run at your partner's shoulder with the ball in two hands, and as they commit, transfer the ball to your far arm and extend the near arm to their shoulder, chest or the shield.
- The arm must be an open palm and primarily bent on contact, because the aim is to make contact and push away rather than to strike.
- Accelerate off the fend immediately - the fend creates separation and the footwork does the beating.
- Do 4 sets of 6 each hand at walking pace, then jogging.
- Know the age law: senior and U14+ boys and U15+ girls may fend to any part of the body, U12 and U13 boys only below the armpits, and U11 and U13 girls not at all.
Coaching cues
- Open palm, bent arm - push away, don't strike
- Ball to the far arm first
- Contact, then accelerate
Common mistakes
- A closed fist or base-of-hand strike, which is striking and a red-card offence
- A straight locked arm, which is dangerous play - if it looked bad, it probably was
Related drills
- Preparation for Contact WrestleBuild the shoulder position, connection and rolling strength that contact demands.
- Get Up Off The FloorFight to your feet under a body, which is what every phase of contact demands.
- Contact Security One-on-OneTake the carrier down and immediately win the ball on your feet.
- Latch and DriveBind onto a carrier just before contact and drive as a unit without conceding obstruction.
- Falling and Ball PresentationLearn to hit the ground safely and present the ball long, entirely alone.
- Ball Carry into ContactArrive into contact low, shoulder-first and legally, with the ball protected.