Polo Lineout Tips: Which Side Must Your Mallet Be

answering your polo questions tactics & anticipation May 29, 2021
 

"Which side of my horse should I have the mallet in the lineout?" 

I bet you'll be surprised by this answer but here's why! 


Polo Lineout Tips: Which Side Must Your Mallet

Transcription:

Let's dive into the next question, which is, I've just got to find it here quickly for you again. Sorry. What side of my horse should I have my stick in the line out? Not on one side, because the biggest problem is everybody wants to put their mallet into the line out. Okay. And that ball, the minute that's in the lineup,

I'm just going to make a ride-off over the top of the mallet. I'm not going to try and hook you cause now I've trapped your mallet between the two horses and my mallet is free. Okay.

So, don't put it on any side, have it up, but don't fish for the ball in the line-out. What you want to do is dominate the man, make the ride-off and now you've got the ball free, whichever side you've made the right off from.

If you're on the left and you make a ride off, you've got it on your nearside. If you're on the right and you make a right hook, you've got the ball on your off side. You own the ball because if you hang your mallet into the line out, okay.

Onto the inside, then what, what I love to do, okay, is I'm have my mallet up and I see your mallet there. I just knock it down and make the ride off because I'll knock it down and pick my mallet up. So your mallet is hit done and I'll make the ride off and I've trapped your mallet between the two horses and you cannot get it out.

But my mallet's up and I'm now free to get the ball where I want it. My number one thing is make the ride-off. So knock that mallet down, it's just a tap and pick your mallet and make the ride-off. Now you're trapping that mallet and you always in an ascendent situation like that. If that ball is near you, you are much more liable to get it.

So, it's not a case of which side. It's a case of get it up, make the ride off. And if the other players got the mallet up also, and is sharp with that, try and make the ride off but don't look for the ball, put the ball back on your side, trap it, and now you own the next shot.

The minute you get it and try and knock it through the line-out you've given it to the opposition anyway, because they no lines. And it's very hard to get that ball through, the other back that's hanging out the lineup gets the ball. So not a side, mallet up, ride off. That's the answer to that one.