The Most Underrated Role in Footy

Every team has that bloke everyone knows. Scores the tries, throws the flashy pass, ends up on the highlights. The camera finds him, the commentators love him, fans know his name.

But every good team also has another bloke. You usually don’t hear much about him unless he’s missing. He’s not loud, not flashy, and he’s not chasing attention. He just does the work.  I call him the dirty work guy, and for mine, he’s the most underrated role in footy.

I’ve played with a lot of them. The average teams might have one. The really good teams have a few. Because when you strip footy right back, games aren’t won by moments. They’re won by effort. The boring stuff done properly, over and over.

They might not be captain. They might not be the best athlete in the team. But they set the tone.

You Spot Them Early in the Game

If you know what to look for, they’re not hard to find. I always watch kick chase first. Who’s off the line straight away. Who’s sprinting like it actually matters.

Not chasing a highlight. Not lining up a big shot. Just doing the job.

A lazy chase is a gift. If the fullback gets an easy run back, you’re straight back defending your own end. People talk about kicking games all the time, but the kick means nothing without the chase.

A connected chase turns a normal kick into pressure. A good one forces mistakes. That’s where games start to turn.

Defence Is Where They Earn Respect

Everyone loves a big hit. They look good and get a reaction. But good defence isn’t about one tackle. It’s about effort and talk, especially when you’re tired.

It’s holding spacing. Pushing in from the inside. Moving together as a line. Doing your job when you don’t really feel like it.

The hardest time to defend is when you’re stuck on your own line and running on fumes. That’s when teams lose shape. Talking drops off. Blokes start hoping someone else fixes it.

The dirty work guy doesn’t wait. He talks. He points. He pushes teammates back into shape. He covers the inside when someone gets caught. He’s still getting set when his legs are gone.

The best ones I played with were the ones still talking when everyone else was quiet.

Life in the Ruck

The ruck is another area they live in. Everyone notices quick play-the-balls when a team’s flying. Not many notice the work that slows it down.

Winning the contact. Finishing the tackle. Getting a bloke on his back. Getting off the top quickly so the line can reset. That extra moment matters.

When the ruck speeds up, defenders panic. Markers turn. Gaps open. Slow it down and suddenly the game feels a lot calmer.

It’s not pretty, but it’s effective.

The Tough Carries Nobody Talks About

One of the hardest jobs in footy is carrying the ball out of trouble. Everyone loves running on an edge with space. The carry that matters is from your own ten, when their line’s set and you know you’re about to get hit.

The dirty work guy takes those runs without complaining. He finds his front, gets a metre or two, and gives the team a chance to roll forward and get to a kick.

Those runs don’t get replayed, but they win territory and time. And they lift the group. When one bloke does it properly, others follow.

The Little Things Add Up

There’s also the stuff after the tackle. Getting up quickly. Getting onside. Folding early. Being where you’re meant to be so the line can move together.

Games are lost because of laziness after contact. Blokes stay down. Jog back. Suddenly the defence is staggered.

The dirty work guy is reliable. He’s rarely late. And reliability wins tight games.

Making Life Easier for the Stars

This is the part people miss. The dirty work guy creates the space for the flashy stuff.

Your fullback can’t carve up a tired line if the middle hasn’t done its job. Your halves can’t play what they see if they’re getting rushed. Your outside backs can’t finish if you can’t build pressure and get downfield.

The dirty work gives the stars a platform.

That’s why coaches talk about effort areas so much. Talent alone doesn’t win comps. Every team has talent. Premierships are won by blokes who turn up when the game’s ugly and momentum isn’t on your side.

How to Watch the Game Properly

The best dirty work guys are the ones you want next to you in a close one. You know they won’t go missing. They don’t need a try to stay involved. They just keep doing their job.

So next time you’re watching a game, don’t just follow the ball. Watch who chases. Watch who pushes in. Watch who makes the cover tackle that saves a try and gets no credit.

Those blokes are making the difference.

That’s the most underrated role in footy. The dirty work guy. And if we’re being honest, every premiership team you’ve ever watched has had a few of them doing the heavy lifting in the background.

You just didn’t notice. Because when they do their job properly, everything else looks easy. And it never is.