“Motchin” and “Pendleoar” join “Dangerwood” as the game’s most dangerous double-act

DANGERWOOD is the king on the block, but four rival midfielders have formed their own double-acts. Who are the main challengers to the star Cats? HAVE YOUR SAY

Patrick Dangerfield handballs to Joel Selwood. Photo: Michael Dodge/Getty Images

WE bang on about Dangerwood.

But perhaps it’s time we make room for “Motchin” and “Pendleoar”.

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Dustin Martin and Trent Cotchin at Richmond and Scott Pendlebury and Adam Treloar at Collingwood are growing proof there’s more than one midfield double act taking the competition by storm.

Yes, Patrick Dangerfield and Joel Selwood are the eye-catching one-two so pivotal to Geelong’s fortunes, but in the shadows of the limelight the other duos are wreaking havoc.

Martin and Cotchin were the two best players in Richmond’s powerful win over North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.

Martin might win the Brownlow and while Cotchin is averaging less disposals than last year, his possessions are now a case of quality over quantity. Gone is the meaningless sideways chip and in is the penetrating forward ball.

Motchin churns out an average 996 metres gained each week — 130m more than Dangerwood and Pendleoar.

A day after Martin and Cotchin blitzed the Kangaroos, Pendlebury and Treloar put Fremantle to the sword in Perth, with both critical in a last quarter in which Collingwood finished two men down (Jamie Elliott and Daniel Wells) and with another (Tyson Goldsack) playing with one arm.

Pendleoar rack up 59.8 touches a week — the most of the three duos — and do the bulk of their damage on the outside with seven more uncontested possessions a game. The Pies pair are No.1 for score involvements (15.9), but also put on more pressure (101.8 pressure points) than the other two pairings.

The fascinating aspect is the three tandems wield very different weapons. While Motchin reigns supreme in metres gained, Pendleoar’s glut of uncontested ball is king and while they don’t hit the scoreboard directly, they’re involved in more scoring chains than the other two.

Collingwood’s Batman & Robin — skipper Scott Pendlebury and Adam Treloar. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

Then there’s the ultra-dangerous Dangerwood. Dangerfield and Selwood’s brutal dominance of contested ball (33.1) and clearances (14.5) is what sets them apart. But they also combine for 2.5 goals a game and 3.1 score assists, meaning it’s not all coalface brawn.

So who’s the best double-act? It’s hard to go past Geelong’s Batman and Robin, but the others are coming. What’s beyond debate is the performance of each duo goes a long way to deciding their side’s fortunes each week.

Two hundred ranking points is the magic figure. When Dangerwood exceeds it Geelong is 8-1. When they don’t, the Cats are 0-2.

Collingwood is 5-3 when Pendleoar goes beyond the double ton, but 0-2 when the pair don’t. Richmond is 5-1 when Motchin is firing, yet 2-3 when they’re not.

On that evidence you’d say Dangerwood is the most important double act to their team. And they also happen to be the hardest to stop.

Originally published as “Motchin” and “Pendleoar” join “Dangerwood” as the game’s most dangerous double-act