Hills Hornets Moves and Play Calls
Basic Calls
Colours
Basic – A hand off to a player coming around another. Similar to a rugby league ‘run around’.
Details – The passer of the ball gives the pass and then sweeps around, receiving the ball back again
usually as a handoff or pop as the two come together or as they pass each other. In most cases the
original receiver is running onto the ball and hitting a hole or an angle towards the original passer of
the ball.
Toenails
Basic – A simple return of a pass to the original passer of the ball.
Details – ‘Toenails’ avoids the call of ‘return’, which is easily identifiable. I pass to you and call
Toenails, wanting the ball back. Normally used so the passer can go down for the player that is giving
it back. The receiver will normally have to be moving forward slightly to avoid a forward pass, or the
passer dropping back after passing.
‘A’
Basic – ’Bounce’ or fake/deummy switch
Details – Two person call, normally between middle and link, where the middle makes as if to switch
infield with the link who steps out at the last minute and bounces trying to get outside his defender.
The move tries to deceive the defending link that a switch or ‘S’ down is going to take place and give
both attacking players the chance to get outside their opposite numbers.
‘B’
Basic – Normal switch, as opposed to an ‘A’
Details – The reason using the call ‘A’ and ‘B’ makes it easier to call and disguise the call ‘switch’ and
‘dummy switch’ which are easily recognized by the opposition. A good combo is calling a ‘B’ into an
‘A’ where the switch is done and pass made to the far middle who does an ‘A’ with his link.
Settling/Driving Patterns
Buddy
Basic – Player that plays the ball splits left or right (generally short side) and gets it back from the half
and drives forward.
Buddy Return
Basic – Player that plays the ball splits left or right (generally short side) and gets it back from the half
and drives forward, but then returns to the original dummy half. They may go down or not.
Buddy Buddy
Basic – Faking a buddy with the winger returning the ball to link who passes off to a middle driving
hard between his opposite number and the link.
Details – The link gets the ball and passes to the wing for what looks like a buddy. He should take the
link with him and bring that link and the other winger forward. The attacking middle readies for his
run. The link and wing fake to go down but then return the ball to the middle who is steaming forward
and drives first directly at his opposite middle, avoiding the other link that has come up to make the
original touch and then slightly angles outwards taking the middle a step or two with him and makes
the touch on the middle’s outside shoulder.
This effectively puts the link and the wing offside. The other attacking middle must have anticipated
the move and be up ready to drive next. The half can then take off behind the offside players, or the
readied drives for another fast hit up but regardless the attacking link and wing should be ready to
assist. There are many options that can follow.
Done at speed and sold correctly, the defending middle should drop back lazy, thinking a buddy will
occur on the wing and think perhaps the attacking players are leaving the field. When the drive is done
at him and touch made, the defending link and/or wing are likely to be very offside and with a bit of
speed the half or next hit up can make a lot of ground. Remember the first touch is done to get the
two people offside, the next is done to gain ground or a penalty.
Arrows
Basic – Fast ad-lib driving up the middle.
Details – Generally the three/four middle players driving hard calling ‘left’ and ‘right’ in any type of
order driving forwards and angling in toward the ruck just slightly to allow the half to be there quickly.
Timing of the attacking run and the correct touching the defender is critical in making the most yards.
Touches should be made on the SIDE of the defender, not front on. This will increase the meters
gained and those to be covered backwards by the defense.
Middle Middle
Basic – Three/Four player driving pattern. Half wraps out.
Details – The first receiver angles in and dummies to the half who is wrapping out. The half then
becomes the next first receiver. Can alternate sides and also use the option of giving to the wrapper
instead of the dummy on later tackles or when the defense reads the play.
Ross
Basic - Three person drive where the half takes off and switches (hands off only) to the receiver
angling back to the ruck. The person who played the ball becomes half.
Details - Originally this move was done using the 3 players on the wing driving off the line and after 2
or 3 iterations the half either dummied to the receiver and pass outwards, or the receiver returned the
ball to the half to move into a set play or to drive for extra meters. The aim was to deceive the
opposition so they did not know where the play would end up since the variations were called
depending on how the opposition reacted in defense. It formed the basis of a 6 tackle play set each
time the team drove off the line.
45s – ‘Forty Fives’
Basic – Three or Four person driving pattern where the half takes off and switches (hands off only) to
the receiver who then goes forward and passes to a third man driving down for him..
Details - Similar to the basic Ross driving pattern but the receiver starts on an angle and then
straightens instead of angling back in to the ruck. He then releases to the guy who originally played the
ball, normally when he reaches the defensive player so as to gain more yards. Can be done slower the
Ross if needed and still be effective, allowing you to drive off your line so it works well even when the
attacking team is tired. It is also effective when the defending teams are sending shooters.
Petticoat (Stretch)
Basic – Settling play (as opposed to driving) normally used near to the opponents try line to get the
defending middles moving sideways.
Details – The ball is given to a middle who drives outward to the closest link trying to take his
opposing middle with him. He goes down for the link who passes off the ground back in to the other
middle who fades to the opposite link who is holding his position and then becomes half. This link
then passes off the ground (longer ball hopefully) back to the other middle who repeats the first drive
out.
The intent is to stretch the gap between the two middles and get them moving side to side. The player
must take his opponent middle with him and not drive directly to the link or it is a waste of time. If
the attacking player is just going through the motion the defense may let the player drive to the link,
leaving the middle to regain position.
Unemployed
Basic – A three-player settling pattern, half and ball player taking off one way but half passing back the
other to third player.
Details – Best used on a tiring defense or against a team short on players. It can be hard to defend with
fast attacking players and good timing, but also hard to keep up in attack due to the energy involved
when done quickly.
Using, for example, the left link and two middles, a buddy is done from the turnover with the two
middles. The right hand middle plays and then receives the ball splitting right for the dump straight
ahead. He then splits hard right, stalls and then takes off slightly angling right as if for another buddy
as the dummy half follows hard forward then slightly toward the splitting player. The half then
dummies the ball to him and then turns it inside to the left link who is steaming on angling inwards
toward the defender who just made the touch. The link should receive the ball not far from the
middle’s hip.
The touch is then made on the right shoulder of the defender and the link then splits hard left, stalls and
takes off slightly angling left as if for a buddy and the half (same half for the whole move) takes off
forward and follows. The defender here should follow the half.
He then dummies to the link and turns the ball back inside to the middle who is steaming on and
angling the same way as the other two players, receiving the ball close to the half and then making the
tough on again the same defender on his left shoulder. The right middle splits right and the process
continues…
The purpose generally is catch out a tiring player in defence and after a few iterations the half can run
through or choose which receiver he passes to so they can run through accordingly. Even if the
defence rotates, it should cause them to tire very quickly and a variation can be done to ‘chase’ the
middle defender by handing off to the buddy player and stretching the middles further.
Also can lead into a wrap or Colours for continuing on to a move i.e. the inside player hands off
to the half wrapping.
Double Unemployed
Basic – Similar to unemployed, but using four people. Less tiring for the offence but done well can
still work as effectively as the three-player version
Details – using four players (2 middles and 2 links) they pair up in middle-link combos, the middle
going down for the link and then splitting outwards. The half takes off hard to go with the splitter
outwards but dummies and passes back inside to the second middle who is running on a slight angle
and then straightens when he gets the ball and drives down on the far side of his defender and splits
hard to the far side of his man. The half is the second link who goes with him splitting, dummies and
passes the ball inside to the other link (who is now in the middle position) and who then drives forward
again going down for his partner who starts the process again.
This works well driving off the line when the team does not want to tire their middles as much in
attack. It can be used to stretch and tier the defending middles and setup a line attack..
Set Moves
NZ
Basic – Buddy switch…normal done on the opposition’s line in the middle of the field.
Details – Two middles buddy driving with a couple up the middle. Upon reaching the opponents goal
line the dumper splits again and commits the opposite defense player by angling in toward the middle
with the other attacking middle faking to go outside his man but then doing a late switch and looking to
beat the other middle defender that has been committed. Should be diving at the try line.
ACT
Basic – Two off the ruck and the half sweeps.
Details – A normal settle (or a buddy) goes down and the move is called. The dummy half passes to
first receiver who again passes to the next player hitting in for the first receiver who then goes to half.
The original half sweeps (should have started running just after he passes originally) to the far side of
the ruck and drives out to the wing or link..
Used a lot for the furthest wing, link or middle to sub off the field or regain their position if they get
stuck on the wing etc, but good anytime when nothing is on and driving out of your half. Best as a
second touch drive after a buddy. ACT makes an easy sub move since the player wishing to go off can
call it with a buddy first seeing he will be dummy half and then sweep, play the ball and get off the
field.
Diesel or ‘Set up’.
Basic – 3 player set up move good for either the middle or wing. Switch in and release
Details – The middle of the three players angles out towards the (closest) wing switching hard with that
player who then releases the ball on to the third (normally a middle) who goes down hard for the player
who passed it. The dumping player should aim to dump the ball between the two defenders. Then a
snap or other move can be put on as the defense should all be up close. This move relies on a good
hard switch and the final receiver dumping on the correct shoulder of his man.
If done with the wing it can be good if done sharp and fast on tiring defense in their own half but not on
their line. Middle version done on the line can lead on (‘Set up’) to many other moves.
Mash
Basic – 3 player move that aims to fake the dump on the ‘Diesel’ or Set up’ move.
Details – Begins with a switch from the middle to the link switching in and releasing as per normal
setup move. The receiver is angling in wards to go down for the middle who released the ball but then
fakes to go down and then steps back the other way. He then takes off in the other direction and can
continue if he has beaten his player or may give the ball back to the original passer (the one who would
have been half). This could be thought of as a Fake or Bounce Diesel.
Mary
Basic – This move is similar to the Mash but without the release pass.
Details – Switch is done from the middle and the receiving player carries on as if to go down for the
third player (not releasing), the two coming together. The ball carrier then fakes to go down and steps
back, and his buddy steps back also and the ball is passed. It looks as though the two are bouncing off
each other and the pass is usually given or the carrier may choose to dummy if there is risk of an
intercept or nothing on.
Laser (Coast) or Kick off Move
Details - Setup is done using ‘Petticoat’ or fades from the kickoff. I.e. middle fading to link. This may
be done once or twice depending.
The ball is then sent to the other (far) middle who fades for his link and splits hard outside. A quick
pass off the ground by the half to the splitting player who starts outward looking at the defender (sells
it) and steps back infield as if to pass to the other middle or dive for the line. The far middle then
sweeps out around both players late and receives the ball running outward and straightening into the
gap and either scores or gives to the winger if the defender shuts down.