Skills for the ball carrier

The ball carrier needs a number of different skills to interact with their support players.

Looking for gaps in defence and where support players are to help break the line close or far away.

Also listening for support players’ information: when to pass, where to run.

The ball carrier needs to think whether they will use the support long before contact, just before contact to draw a defender, or pass in contact.

There are a number of passes a ball carrier can use and this is based on a number of factors.

For example, short, long, offloads or even over the heads of the defence to a support player.

Short passes are less complex, because there are fewer pressures on the passer.

The ball carrier can also kick the ball for their support players to gather, or at least chase.

For example, a chip kick or a grubber kick (along the ground and through the defence).

Also, the ball carrier could use “bombs” which are high kicks, or kick passes which are low kicks which go across the field to a supporting player.

These are the main skills for the ball carrier. Let’s consider the skills of the players closest to the ball carrier.