NRL Analysis: Breaking down fullback positioning in defence

Paul Crawley targeted Will Kennedy after Round 1¹ which had me thinking more about fullback positioning and the pros and cons of the various approaches.

There are different ways for fullbacks to position themselves. Each approach puts more of a focus on defending one area while somewhat exposing another. Shortside, longside or out of the line entirely, I’m going to touch on all three here.

• Will Kennedy’s shortside numbers

• Clint Gutherson’s work rate on the longside

• Fullbacks defending deep

Will Kennedy’s shortside numbers

There is a bit more to it than Crawley suggests when he questions the effort of Kennedy in Round 1.

“There were two tries scored. Kennedy hardly makes an effort in this one (Yeo try)…”

Admittedly, he’s slow in getting across in cover defence. It’s not really his tackle to make, though. Nathan Cleary wins a quick play-the-ball to scatter the markers while Addin Fonua-Blake doesn’t come off the line square. Should Kennedy have been filling in at long side A? Perhaps. But as we see on the next try, he tends to fill in on the shortside. It’s the job of the marker to close the space Yeo ends up running through.

“And in the next one (Tago try), Cleary does trick him by (shifting) sides but even so, I thought the effort from Kennedy would have to be a concern.”

There is Kennedy on the shortside, keeping the Sharks numbered up. It’s 4th tackle, so he isn’t working across the field like he might on the last.

The late retreater is also worth considering. Even with Cleary “shifting sides,” Kennedy might still feel as though he needs to hold his spot on the shortside to avoid leaving three Sharks to four Panthers.

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