“Everyone should play touch footy FOREVER, simple as that” said Brad Fittler when we recently caught up with him at the 2019 Junior State Cup
“Everyone that is playing is fit. All you need to listen to and watch is the news and hear about the rates of obesity but every time I head to Touch Footy everyone is fit. Everyone should play touch footy FOREVER, simple as that and you’ll stay fit”
Fittler’s daughter has been playing Touch Football for the past 3 years “She loves the game and learns a lot, she’s out there practising all the time and asks me to get out there and practice and pass with her, which is a really good sign that she enjoys the sport” Fittler said about his daughter.
He also enjoys the alignment with the NRL “this is one of the greatest pathways to the NRL. If kids are a bit nervous about tackling, they can learn a huge part of our game by coming here and just learning about space and speed, it’s a great pathway”
Last year on the Sunday Footy Show, general conversation was had with panel specialist Erin Molan, Peter Sterling, Ben Hannant and Brad Fittler around the inception of the Women’s League and the added extra entertainment the league was adding to the main game. With the launch of the NRL Touch Premiership still in its early days, Brad Fittler spoke of his enjoyment watching Touch Football “The other is Touch. I love watching touch because when you compare it (to tackle) for a lot of old school participants they don’t like it, but I think it’s fantastic as it’s so different to tackle. Tackle Footy is quite slow now because they hold the play the ball down but touch is so quick. So if you have Touch, Women’s, NRL what a great afternoon”
Touch football has been fortunate enough to have many current and former NRL players come through the Touch Football Pathways. With the likes of Benji Marshall, Isabelle Kelly, Kaylan Ponga, Shaun Johnson and Riley Jacks highlighting skills of speed, agility and ball technique. Brad Fittler believes that playing Touch has definitely had an impact in helping them in their current careers “The play the ball might be slower in the league but you watch their footwork, their vision and the way they work that ruck in small spaces is pretty incredible” and can understand why former NRL Players are taking up Touch “it keeps you fit, it’s a speed game, a power game, a thinking game, it keeps your mind fit, it keeps your body fit and that’s the secret to a happy life. Like I say they should just make everyone play touch” said Fittler.
If you would like to play touch football this winter, visit playtouchfooty.com to find a competition near you.
