Re: Mark Percival : Tue Aug 18, 2015 1:08 am  

I wonder whether he's ever done martial arts. His tackling style practically screams Judo insofar as he's always looking to use his opponent's momentum against him. Some of the double-handed throws he's executed recently (attacking the far shoulder with two hands and then pivoting the guy over his own centre of gravity) require split-second decision making and demonstrate a remarkable degree of hand-eye co-ordination, athleticism - not to mention self-confidence.

The closest I've seen would be Tommy Martyn, who was an absolute master at "unconventional defence" and probably knew more ways of bringing an opponent down (one of which being his expertly executed "Cumberland Throw") than a Shaolin monk, and Gary Connelly - whose upperbody strength meant once he got an arm on you you'd need acetyline burning gear to break free of it.

Re: Mark Percival : Tue Aug 18, 2015 7:43 am  

Mugwump wrote:

I wonder whether he's ever done martial arts. His tackling style practically screams Judo insofar as he's always looking to use his opponent's momentum against him. Some of the double-handed throws he's executed recently (attacking the far shoulder with two hands and then pivoting the guy over his own centre of gravity) require split-second decision making and demonstrate a remarkable degree of hand-eye co-ordination, athleticism - not to mention self-confidence.

I seem to remember the Saints (kids) v Leeds game at Langtree when Percival had Carl Ablett in "his pocket", Percival made the Leeds player very in effective during that game.

Re: Mark Percival : Wed Aug 19, 2015 8:47 pm  

Judder Man wrote:

I seem to remember the Saints (kids) v Leeds game at Langtree when Percival had Carl Ablett in "his pocket", Percival made the Leeds player very in effective during that game.

I remember it well.