From what I understand, they can't have pierce weapons, or make stabs at one another in the BotN? A hoplite would be pretty sweet to have, but only for the large shield and range...doesn't look like it'd work too well with the tackling people tend to do.
Also, why do they not deploy more tactics in these fights? No shield wall charge, no organization, it just devolves into a big mosh pit of heavy breathing and hugging mostly. Also, to answer the question about why they use their swords and not just tackle one another; They soften you up and destabilize you. Imagine wearing that helmet and constantly hearing and feeling the vibration of metal slapping inside of it and you're pinned in the epicenter of where that sound is reverberating. That would drive your senses wild and make you lose focus--thus allowing your balance to be bulled over by some unsuspecting push or tackle.