Aussie rugby coach trains NFL star | 00:48
As if he wasn’t already scary enough, a clip of Myles Garrett getting some tackling tips from an Australian rugby coach has gone viral.
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The video has been viewed over 2.8 million times on TikTok, where it was posted by Billy Coffey, a strength and conditioning coach for Wanderer’s Rugby Union Football Club.
It has since been re-posted by X viewer IcyVery, where it has been viewed 31.1 million times.
Coffey has since taken his expertise to a global stage, with Garrett becoming the latest NFL player to seek out his services.
Garrett, of course, is as big as superstars come in the NFL with the former Cleveland Browns defensive end making headlines over the summer when he was traded to the Los Angeles Rams.
Garrett is locked in with the Rams long-term too, having signed a five-year, $208 million contract in June.
The Newcastle Herald spoke to Coffey last week, who revealed that Micah McFadden (Giants), Danny Stuntsman (Saints), Segun Olubi (Raiders) and Bobby Okereke (Giants) are among the players to have worked out with Cooffey.
The former Newcastle rugby player also has a meeting with the Cleveland Browns next week, while the Herald reports that the coaching staff of college football powerhouse Ohio has also been in touch.
Why have they all been so desperate to work with Coffey? Well, it sounds like they want to know the science behind what they need to do to generate the biggest hits.
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Myles Garrett went whack in the clip.Source: FOX SPORTS
That’s right, even a genuine game-wrecker like Coffey is looking for another way to become an even more explosive force on the field.
“It has been pretty wild,” Coffey told the Herald.
“With the whole social media thing, I get hit up all the time by players in the US to come over,” Coffey, who has a degree in exercise sports science and is an Australian Strength and Conditioning Association level II coach, added.
“I got a message from this guy called Shey which said I really want you to meet with Myles Garrett.
“I said, ‘no dramas, here is my number’. I had no idea who Myles Garrett was. I asked a few mates if this guy was any good. They were like, ‘probably the best in the world right now’.
“I flew to the US and spent a week designing tricks he wants to bring in next season. He wants to get better.”
In one of his posts on TikTok, Coffey wrotes about how one simple change could help players dominate in tackles.
“So many of my athletes search for the ground with their feet first, this takes away all ur momentum and in a dominant collision it’s about where ur hips are in relations (sic) to ur front foot,” he wrote.
“Even if it’s subtle. It must be first. The hip must be the first to move, then u can begin the search for ground.
“Violent actions are effective when ur hips are either in front of your hammer (plant foot) or past half way towards the front foot if u divide the distance between them.”
NRL HERO’S CHEEKY $15K PROMISE AFTER SUPERSTAR’S TD OFFER
San Francisco superstar tight end George Kittle has vowed to pay tribute to former NRL star Jai Arrow in some way should he get into the end zone in Friday’s historic NFL game.
Kittle and the 49ers will face off with the Los Angeles Rams at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, with the veteran tight end making a miraculous recovery from a torn Achilles in the clash.
Kittle suffered the devastating injury during San Francisco’s wildcard playoff win against Philadelphia and was expected to start the season on PUP (physically unable to perform), which would have ruled him out for at least the first four games of the season.
Instead, Kittle has somehow been able to get back onto the field just eight months after the injury and is hoping to celebrate his return with a nod to Arrow.
Kittle was recorded earlier in the week sending a congratulatory message to Arrow after he played his 100th NRL game in South Sydney’s win over the Roosters last week.
Arrow has captured the hearts of not just the rugby league community but Australia as a whole since revealing his Motor Neurone Disease diagnosis earlier this year.
NRL and NRLW stars came together to get behind Arrow in July, with every player who scored during that month stopping to celebrate with an arrow.
Kittle wants to pay tribute to Arrow | 00:33
With that in mind, Kittle was asked on Wednesday if he would consider doing the same should he scored a touchdown in Friday’s game.
“I would love to but I’d get fined and penalised for it because it’s a weapon,” Kittle said.
“Trust me, I’ve thought about it.”
The NFL prohibits players from any on-field celebrations that stimulate weapons, shooting, or violent gestures. Kittle would face a fine of up to $15,000 for the gesture, with players typically pinged for making a finger-gun gesture when celebrating a first down.
Kittle did hint he may mimic the finger point that AFL umpires do when a goal is scored though. “We’ve been practicing that one,” he said.
Kittle was also open to the idea of pretending to do a shoey, although he seemed a bit hesitant to fully embrace some of the Australian concepts without knowing if they would get him into trouble.
So, he added that if anyone was willing to cover the $15,000 fine he would do it.
As it turned out, Arrow took to the comments on a Fox League post of Kittle’s answer to offer to pay the $15,000 fine.
Kittle could be at risk of a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the field, however, but one way or another it sounds like Australian fans should be cheering for Kittle to get in the end zone on Friday.
"Why are you trying to get me fined?!" | 00:33