Full Oval Shadow Pressure

Focus

Skills under pressure, Run & Carry, Forward line delivery.

Skills

GoalKicking, Kicking, Handballing.

Purpose

Staying close to an opponent takes concentration and effort. This drill practices manning-up on an opponent wherever they go on the ground, and gives penalties for lapses in concentration. It also teaches players to dispose of the ball when an opponent is at close quarters.

Players

22⁺

Ages

11⁺

Balls

2⁺

Cones

Distance (max)

160m

Opp. tops

50%

Visible opposition strip: 50%

Setup
Players form pairs and position themselves scattered all over the ground
Step 1
Starting with a ball in each goalsquare, the yellow team work the ball around the ground by hand and foot (as you would doing circlework).

Balls should move in the same direction (either clockwise or anti-clockwise) to avoid head-on collisions between players going for different balls
Step 2
Red players must be within 2 metres of their opponent at all times. When the yellow player is about to dispose of the ball, the red player should give them a light tap on the hips to add some pressure to the kicker
Step 3
Red player should be warned if spotted more than 2m away from their opponent
Step 4
The circle-work continues until the coach blows the whistle, meaning the next movement up the field will finish with a shot on goal.
Step 5
Restart the drill with a kick-in from both ends, and later introduce a 3rd ball for added difficulty if enough players
Step 6
After 5-10 minutes, change so the red team have possession and yellow players shadow them.