Tackles

When a defensive player legally brings down or 'tackles' an opposition player who is carrying the ball.

Tackling is part of what makes rugby league so entertaining. While it is an artform when executed properly, a poor or illegal tackling style can result in devastating injuries, both to the tackler and the attacker.

Typically, it is the players in the middle of the park, and especially each team's hooker and second rowers who make the most tackles in a game of NRL football. 

Example: “Roosters Hooker Jake Friend leads the league with 604 tackles.”

While tackles can be an important NRL stat for punters to get their head around, they are more often than not dominated by teams who are starved of possession and as a result are forced to make more tackles than the opposition.

That is why it is important to look at tackles in conjunction with other stats such as completion rates and missed tackles.

Benchmark: A player is considered to have a high work rate if he makes over 40 tackles in a game.