I've not had much to do with Oztag until recently. The whole concept of the tag seemed a little silly/juvenile, but my kid started playing recently, and I've been hugely surprised at how cool the game actually is.
Compared to touch, OzTag feels a lot more League. You don't have the "dumping" for fast play the balls that you see in touch, and which tends to turn me off that game. And because it is more difficult to remove a tag than it is to make a touch, the game ends up being a lot more structured like League too, and you can use similar plays. Also allows kicking.
And it looks like its growing like crazy. The Baulkham Hills comp my boy plays is massive. There are two divisions for most age groups across both boys and girls. The sport is very actively promoted in schools, as well, and I can only see it growing. It really does take most of the skills elements of League, and puts it in a low-contact environment that is more accessible. In fact, I've gotten so into it, I'm actually about to start playing myself (paramedics standby).
I know the NRL and Parra have an agreement with Touch Football, but can't help but wonder if they've backed the wrong horse (I read somewhere they couldn't come to a commercial agreement with the people who run Tag). I think properly promoted OzTag could be absolutely massive, and with proper cross-over promotion, could really contribute to growing interest in League.
Thoughts?
Replies
You've got two versions of OzTag. You have OzTag and Tag League. Tag League is even closer to rugby league. It has your traditional six tag tackle count, allows for chip kicks and 50/10s. It also has an option for penalties, you can choose either a two point try or to kick on any tackle. Having played both I prefer Tag League. Being so close to rugby league means it's not a massive adjustment when switching between tackle and tag.
Yeh, I saw mention of Tag League in an article related to NRL, but pretty much nobody uses the term Tag League. The first thing any emerging sport needs to do is kill off any fragmentation as having different versions of the game is a killer.
No chance they've backed the wrong horse here Phil. There is way too much luck in Oztag compared to touch, if you run straight you could easily score purely because the defender couldn't rip the tag off at the precise moment. Everyone knows how many current players participated in Touch before playing NRL (Benji, Johnson, Bevan French to name a few).
There is a lot more skill and flow to the game of touch. Whereas in Oztag, every time a tag gets taken, it's stop, back to the mark, play the ball, and all from a set start - everyone on the field is standing still at this point. In touch, when a touch is made, attackers are moving, defenders are moving, the game goes from end to end within 20-30 seconds. Kicking is probably the only advantage Oztag has over touch, but even then, Touch Rugby League is taking off around Australia which incorporates the kick within normal touch footy.
From personal experience, touch players are more skilled, whereas you see a lot of sideways running in Oztag and strange movements to try and get past defenders (spinning/jumping through the defensive line) which isn't really transferable to League. Touch is already seeing block plays and other such things from League being used at the highest levels to score tries. Add in the passing that you see in Touch is just above and beyond what you ever see in Oztag.
Touch is inherently designed to be an attacking game where a lot of tries are scored, which promotes a lot of skill. Oztag though, doesn't seem that attack orientated. If every play the ball is a set start, with the defenders set and ready (bit NFL esque IMO) and the marker in there as well, it doesn't make it conducive to scoring, hence why the kick leads to a lot of tries.
Interesting point of view, thanks for that. Totally agree that touch is incredibly quick, I'd suggest almost too quick. No way I'd be fit enough anymore to play touch, but I reckon I'll be able to play tag without having a coronary. I actually like the fact that element of luck in tag, as it's kind of similar to missing a tackle in League. I always have found the element of "was it a touch or not" in touch football off-putting, at least tag is definitive in that sense.
Your comments make me thing that it almost works like Tag is the best sport to introduce the game, and then your elite players take a pathway to either touch or to League.
Frenchy if you think touch is more skilful than tag you mustn't be watching the right grade. Tag uses all the same set plays as League and because of the stop start in the ruck it's easier to set up plays and use the ball like league.
Also OzTag rewards hole and line runners, whereas touch no matter how good the line is you're more likely to be touched.
with touch it gets a bit tedious when you spend half the game just running straight then quick play the ball to catch the others offside for a penalty
Yep, that's pretty much my thoughts. Mind you, I haven't played touch for about two decades.
Agree regarding the line runners. Had a mate of mine who was brilliant at it. Ran a fantastic unders line in Tag League and most defenders didn't close the gate so it was just a case of popping him the ball at the right moment.
I find Tag League allows for a little more organisation given you can slow the play down a little more. You don't see that much sideways running as it makes it easier for the defensive side and really the best way to get around the defence is short interchanges of passing that makes the defenders have to make a decision.
Most of the guys at footy play in a Tag League or OzTag comp in the offseason so they can keep up their fitness and keep their skills sharp.
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