If you've done any level of coaching or playing, no doubt you've come across the Near Hand Tackle. It has been put up there as the Panacea of tackling. But for all my years playing, coaching, and watching football, I could count on 2 hands the number of times that the near hand tackle has resulted in a turnover.

Perhaps we should call it the " sneak up behind them" tackle, because if the player on the ball sees you running along side them, ready to execute the " near hand tackle", there is no way you are turning over that ball, so you better sneak up.

The powers that be, claim that, if you use your other arm, you are likely to be off balance, and use the near hand in your opponents back, resulting in a free. What a load of crap.

Perhaps, the near hand tackle is of some value, if the attacker is at the sideline, but otherwise, it will only put the defender in a position of weakness. Why?

Because it makes it impossible to take control of the situation.As soon as the attacker puts on the breaks and changes direction, you either have your back to the opponent, or must turn 180 degrees in the blink of an eye.

Near hand tackling can definitely be the starting point of a defensive sequence, but to coach it as being a way to turn over the ball....I'm not so sure.

Make up your own mind