AFL 2019: The good and the bad at your club at the halfway mark of the season
Why is Geelong a runaway leader and why have the Demons fallen so far? Champion Data reveals what your club is doing well and not so well.
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The bye rounds signal the halfway point of the season.
Some clubs are heading in the right direction while other teams will reflect where the year has gone wrong.
Champion Data has poured over the stats to highlight where your club has excelled and what it can improve.
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1. GEELONG
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There’s a simple explanation why the Cats are two games clear on top of the ladder — they are ranked first for points scored (99.3 average) and fewest points conceded (65.7). Geelong is more potent in attack with Gary Ablett (22 goals) spending more time up forward and the arrival of Gary Rohan (21) goals, both providing excellent support for Tom Hawkins. Midfielders Patrick Dangerfield, Mitch Duncan and Tim Kelly have also combined for 36 goals.
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Although the Cats are the hardest team to score against, they concede most of their scores from stoppages (ranked 12th in the competition).
2. GWS
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The Giants are a dominant stoppage team, ranked No.1 for points scored from stoppages and recording the best points differential from stoppages.
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GWS, however, is struggling to apply pressure and retain the ball in its attacking half, creating the fourth-fewest fewest forward-half turnovers.
3. COLLINGWOOD
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The Magpies have punished the opposition when it coughs up the ball, scoring the second-most points from turnovers.
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Collingwood has one of the most highly regarded onball units in the competition but it is a poor stoppage team with the Magpies ranked 11th for clearance differential and slightly in the negative. Ruckman Brodie Grundy leads the clearance count for the Pies.
4. ADELAIDE
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From Round 5 the Crows have won seven games and lost twice on the back of having the second-best contested-possession differential, climbing from 14th to fourth on the ladder. Rory Sloane in ranked seventh for contested possessions (176) and Brad Crouch is 13th.
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While the Crows have no problems getting their hands on the ball in their past nine matches, they have the second-worst tackle differential in this period. Sloane has registered the four-most tackles (83), which is 27 more than the next best Crow, rookie Cam Ellis-Yolmen.
5. WEST COAST
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The Eagles have been super efficient, ranking third for generating a goal per inside 50 despite averaging less than 50 forward entries a game (only Sydney, Gold Coast and Carlton average less inside 50s).
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For a top eight team, the reigning premiers don’t win the ball often enough, ranking both 15th for contested and uncontested possession differential.
6. FREMANTLE
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It’s hardly surprising that Ross Lyon is turning games into defensive slogs with the Dockers conceding the second fewest points this season, but they’ve scored 100 points or more in just three games.
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The Dockers can improve the workrate inside the contest where there rank fifth for contested possession differential and sixth for clearance differential.
7. BRISBANE
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The Lions have scored the third-most points from forwards half turnovers.
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But on the other hand, Brisbane has conceded the fourth-most points when it turns the ball over.
8. RICHMOND
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The Tigers’ tackle differential is the second best in the league, and it’s been a team effort with 12 players recording more than 30 tackles this season, lead by Dion Prestia with 64.
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However, they are getting beaten around the ball, ranking last for the contested possessions and second last for clearances.
9. PORT ADELAIDE
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Port has regained its mantle as the competition’s best pressing team, ranking No.1 for forward-half differential and inside-50 differential.
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Despite dominating the territory game, the Power only rank 15th for converting inside 50 entries into a score.
10. ESSENDON
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The Bombers have tightened up defensively since Round 4, conceding the fewest points of any side in that time. Their average score against has dropped from 100 in the opening three rounds to 66.1 in the following nine games.
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With the exception of rounds three to five, scoring has been an issue for Essendon, particularly from the forward half where it ranks 16th in the comp.
11. ST KILDA
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The Saints have increased their defensive pressure, recording the fifth best tackle differential. Jack Steele has laid 75 tackles, the equal seventh most in the league.
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They have struggled in attack, ranking 15th for points scored and 16th for goals per inside 50.
12. HAWTHORN
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The Hawks are ranked second for forward-half turnovers.
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Without injured midfielder Tom Mitchell, Hawthorn has become the worst clearance differential team in the competition and they also rank 16th for contested possession differential. Last season, Mitchell averaged the most clearances and second-most clearances in the league.
13. NORTH MELBOURNE
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Since Round 7, the Kangaroos have ranked No.1 for points from turnovers. They have a 4-3 record in that period.
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The Roos have conceded 41 points a game from stoppages, the most of any team this season.
14. WESTERN BULLDOGS
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There’s plenty of grunt around the stoppages with the Bulldogs ranked third for clearance differential and sixth for scoring from stoppages.
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The Doggies can’t defend, ranking second last for points conceded and for allowing the opposition to score from an inside 50.
15. SYDNEY
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The Swans are ranked fourth for converting inside 50 entries into scores.
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Their efficiency is keeping them in games because Sydney is ranked last for time in forward half and inside 50 differential.
16. MELBOURNE
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The Demons are winning the territory battle with the second-most inside 50s the year and they’re also ranked second for time in forward half differential.
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While they are continually winning the inside-50 count, there’s a disconnect between the midfield and forward line with the Dees the worst team for scores and goals per forward 50 entry.
17. GOLD COAST
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Stuart Dew’s team is determined to lock the ball in its forward half, created the most stoppages in that area.
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However, the Suns are failing to score, ranking last for points scored and second last for scores per inside 50.
18. CARLTON
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The Blues have scored just 70.5 points per game but they generate 61 per cent of their score in the forward half, which is No.1 in the comp.
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They have been the easiest team to score against this year and have the fourth worst points differential from turnovers.
Stats from Champion Data
Originally published as AFL 2019: The good and the bad at your club at the halfway mark of the season
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