How Brodie Retallick 'changed the game' for locks in New Zealand
An unsung hero amongst the many success stories of the Chiefsā 2023 Super Rugby Pacific campaign, Brodie Retallickās world-class form is proving just as exceptional as it was ten years ago when the lockās immense work rate first amplified expectations of what the position is capable of.
A Super Rugby winner in both 2012 and 2013, Retallick became the youngest player to win World Rugby Player of the Year in 2014 and then started in the 2015 Rugby World Cup final, all before turning 24.
Now an All Black centurion, the 31-year-old isnāt compromising an ounce of effort as his Chiefs side look to reclaim the glory that has now evaded them for the past decade.
āThe amount of breakdowns he hits, if you look at another lock, say that lock hits 18 or 19 ā which is still a good amount of attacking breakdowns ā heās (Retallickās) in the thirties,ā Former Blues captain James Parsons explained on the Aotearoa Rugby Pod.
ā32 or 33 times he is in the first three from the Chiefs clearing that breakdown. And what I like about it is he still has relatively high carries, he plays roles elsewhere, but itās his selfless nature.
āIf you watch him work off the ball, sometimes heās passing teammates to clean another breakdown and another breakdown, so itās all those sorts of unseen efforts that coaches will pick up and itās why everyone in the team loves him. Itās because he does things that probably donāt get celebrated in terms of publicity ā because you have to watch it and you have to know what youāre looking at to see it.ā
The breakdown was an area of weakness for the All Blacks at the start of the 2022 international season, Ireland proved the more clinical side in both retaining and turning over the ball which had the All Blacks consistently on the back foot. The team managed to make some strong strides in that area though and by the end of the year they were providing a strong platform for their backs to attack from.
Parsons says Retallickās tireless effort around the park set an entirely new precedent for locks when he first came into Super Rugby, and heās yet to relinquish that superior work ethic.
āHe sort of changed the game in the locking sense when they won it back-to-back 2012 and 2013 and from there it was almost like an expectation of tight five players to reach his levels of those attacking breakdowns.
āAnd heās second to none in defensive breakdowns as well, he getās a number of turnovers and for a big man, itās actually really hard to get that low and not get blown out because youāve got so much of a target area to get rid of. But heās so strong and heās got that size back heās sort of an immovable object.ā
The Chiefs currently sit atop the Super Rugby Pacific table, Retallick and company can enjoy a bye this weekend before facing the Hurricanes in round eight.
I remember reading a similar article to this about Gary Whetton. It was pretty quickly pointed out it was Colin Meads who set the standard for locks.
We have had many great locks in All Black history. Brodie Retallic is certainly one of the best.
ABs best locks are still Brodie Sam w and Scott b. I hope they can give whats needed one last time. Sam cane too. In great form but at least their papaali can take the pressure off.