Power turns to data analyst from an online footy blog to help improve its goalkicking
PORT Adelaide hired a full-time analyst who was running an online stats blog to provide a forensic examination of its goalkicking in the wake of last year’s elimination final heartbreak against West Coast.
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PORT Adelaide hired a full-time analyst who was running an online stats blog to provide a forensic examination of its goalkicking in the wake of last year’s elimination final heartbreak against West Coast.
The Power ranked 16th in the competition for overall accuracy last year and its wayward 10.16 to the Eagles’ 12.6 cost it its season.
The stats this year show the Power has improved its overall accuracy ranking to sit ninth in the competition going into last weekend, and while its goalkicking had improved 0.3 per cent the club concedes it remains a work in progress.
A new book titled ‘Footballistics’, which looks at the data revolution in Australian rules football, has revealed the Power hired 24-year-old Robert Younger who was running a blog called ‘Figuring Footy’ to work full-time from Melbourne this year.
Younger — who was studying mathematical and science degrees at university when he was appointed — had devised a concept he called ‘expected score’ which studied goalkicking in intricate detail.
It rates the difficulty of shots based on field position and the type of kick to measure the quality of chances and not simply the end result on the scoreboard.
The book also details how development coaches Trent Hentschel and Aaron Greaves are responsible for the Power’s goalkicking program and track every shot “within an inch of its life” by dividing the ground into 12 different zones.
Key forward Charlie Dixon kicked, who kicked 49.30 last year including 3.6 in the elimination final, was interviewed in ‘Footballistics’ and revealed he turned to old YouTube clips of himself kicking for goal while at the Gold Coast to regain his natural instinct because his head had become cluttered by too many differing opinions and advice.
This year Dixon has kicked 17.19 and on Saturday night had his best return for the season with 4.1 including three straight to finish the game in the Power’s win over St Kilda.
“It was good to see the big fella have a quarter where he dominated, clunk a few and kick them straight and he works his butt off, gives everything he’s got so it was good to get a bit of reward,” Port coach Ken Hinkley said.
Port kicked 12.14 against the Saints on a weekend when hitting the target was a chronic problem for some teams in the competition with Geelong recording a shocking 8.23 against Sydney and Melbourne 13.24 against Fremantle but both won their games.
The Power had 17 set shots against St Kilda at Adelaide Oval for 9.6 and two out of bounds on the full and won by 36 points.
“Some of our finish whether it’s in front of goal or around the ground, we didn’t quite use the ball as well as we would have liked,” Hinkley said post-match.
“We gifted the Saints a couple of goals, almost like they led for us and we kicked it to them straight on the chest.”
The other problem for Port was at times being too unselfish around goal instead of taking the first opportunity when it presented.
“It’s (goalkicking) always something we can improve on but we’re doing the work,” Chad Wingard said.
“Sometimes I think we’re a bit too unselfish, probably giving one too many handballs instead of backing yourself to kick the goal.
“And we turned it over a few times kicking inside 50 when we could have easily had a shot at goal but we’ll look at it next week.”
Wingard said Hinkley was a bit frustrated with the way the team played on Saturday night but they were happy to get away with the win which improved their record to 11-4.
“We weren’t able to capitalise and it was a slingshot game and didn’t get too many stoppages,” Wingard said.
“That’s what I try to tell the boys — we’re winning — but you’ve got to keep challenging yourselves and getting better otherwise you get complacent.”
‘Footballistics’ is written by ABC journalist James Coventry and includes chapters on perceived bias in the Australian football Hall of Fame, whether blond-haired players poll more Brownlow Medal votes, whether Geelong has mastered the draft better than anyone else or whether umpires favour the home side.
reece.homfray@news.com.au
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