"Maroons accused of hypocrisy in battle to win ground war"
Brent Read and Margie McDonald | May 21, 2008
QUEENSLAND has spent most of its State of Origin campaign bleating about NSW's use of a wrestling coach, but the Maroons stood accused of hypocrisy yesterday after it emerged an expert on Brazilian jujitsu has assisted them in the lead-up to tonight's series opener at ANZ Stadium.
Prominent Maroons officials had questioned NSW coach Craig Bellamy's decision to bring wrestling expert John Donehue into camp as a defensive guru.
On Monday night during his call of the match for Foxtel, former Queensland captain Gorden Tallis claimed his presence was a "disgrace".
On the eve of his first game as coach of the Blues, Bellamy responded yesterday by turning the focus back on the Maroons, claiming Queensland had called on the services of a martial arts expert.
Queensland coach Mal Meninga conceded a wrestling coach had been brought into camp to ensure the Maroons won the all-important ground war.
Gold Coast-based Jason Roebig works with the Titans in the NRL and has set up the Gold Coast Titans tackle clinic.
Roebig spent several years in Japan honing his skills and stresses on his website that none of the techniques he teaches go anywhere near the neck.
He told The Australian yesterday his work with the Maroons was about teaching them how to escape holds and recover quickly.
"My twist is a little different," Roebig said.
"I don't believe it's really necessary to manipulate the body in relation to keeping a guy down.
"What we try to concentrate on is ground recovery.
"It's actual recovery for a fast play the ball, which is what the game is all about these days."
The wrestling debate has been ongoing for years and Bellamy's club side Melbourne has been at the centre of the controversy.
Several Queensland officials, notably managing director Ross Livermore, had raised concerns over its infiltration in Origin given Donehue would be part of the NSW camp.
Asked whether he was concerned about dangerous techniques such as the chicken wing and grapple tackle being used in Origin, Meninga replied: "Not really. Again, the ground is important but this is up another level in the game, with the speed a lot quicker and a lot more intense.
"You find it doesn't slow down with normal stoppages and stuff."
NSW captain Danny Buderus said he was not aware of Tallis' commments, but suggested the Blues had used wrestling as a fitness tool.
However, he did concede Queensland blew NSW apart with its dummy-half running last year, hence the importance of wrestling.
Bellamy, who held his final press conference yesterday morning, refused to criticise Tallis, who is also an NRL director.
He did suggest, however, Tallis should take a look in his own backyard before throwing verbal hand grenades at the Blues.
"A little birdie tells me they have had a wrestling coach in for a couple of sessions as well, so I think he should be looking in his own backyard before he sticks his nose into ours," Bellamy said.
Asked whether he believed Tallis' position as an NRL director should preclude him criticising coaches or clubs, Bellamy replied: "He's an NRL director. I don't want to get off-side with him.
"At the end of the day no-one has ever stopped Gorden Tallis from what he wants to say.
"That's not my concern. If he wants to say that, that's great.
"If they want to let him say that, that's great as well.
"Like I say, he's allowed his opinion like everyone else.
"I'm pretty much used to it. At the end of the day, Gorden has always gone on about it.
"In this situation he's ripped into us but perhaps he wants to have a look at the other side as well."
Front page of sport in the Aus today.
So who wins the wrestle Extreme or Axis?
So it seems most bjj clubs are involved in the NRL now. Melbourne- Xtreme, Gold Coast Titans - Axis, Manly- Gracie Barra, Knights - Gracie Barra. South Sydney - Xtreme, Paramatta- Extreme. have I missed anybody else??
Chris Haseman has worked with the Broncos for years (and is still working for them)....way before it was fashionable to have a grappling base for controlling players.
Thats right forgot about him also, he was the one who actually gave bellamy the idea to use one when he was assistant coach under Wayne Bennett, and recommended Donahue to him when he moved to Melbourne, I guess it was a shame that Wayne Bennet didn't really think that much of wrestling otherwise Haseman may have been able to incorporate more of it into there style of game and despite the fact he has been involved with them for years, it's Bellamy who has actually been able to utilize wrestling more effectively with John Donohue. There style really reflects alot of wrestling in defence more than any team in the comp.
interesting. Did anybody see the suplex done on Jonathan Thurston? was pretty cool to see.....and im a Queensland supporter.
Danny Weir has been working with the Raiders in Canberra.
Interesting though demonised.
It is interesting that John Donahue helps train one of the best teams along with the worst.
If nothing else, atleast my meat-head footy mates have stopped hanging shit on me about bjj.
BenBJJ -Rogerology - So it seems most bjj clubs are involved in the NRL now. Melbourne- Xtreme, Gold Coast Titans - Axis, Manly- Gracie Barra, Knights - Gracie Barra. South Sydney - Xtreme, Paramatta- Extreme. have I missed anybody else??
Dragons- ROOTS team member
Bulldogs - ROOTS team member
I wouldn't be associating my club with either of these teams.
No with the Bulldogs or Dragons. ROOTS does fairly well in comps, these teams not so much.
Go Axis :)
This raises an interesting question... which NRL player would do best in MMA>? My vote is with Justin Hodges, that guy has the pitbull in him and loads of natural wrestling ability.
Regularly wrestling Danny Buderus and Steve Simpson, I can say that Simo has a killer instinct that is kind of scary and rare. He says lactic acid rarely bothers him and he rarely needs a drink on the field during a game, has freakish fitness, just a typical farm boy strength, not real strong in the gym but great functional strength, has good natural wrestling instinct and fears nothing. Danny Buderus also has great wrestling instinct and a Frank Shamrock like mentality with his methods and training. A pure perfectionist also. I would like to have seen them in MMA.
Hodges would pin Buderus or Simpson in less than 2 minutes wrestling.
no way...
The recently retired Gordon Tallis from the Broncos would own them all. I remember Chris Haseman telling me that Gordie was damned strong and was a powerhouse on the mat.