Pure Footy: Stats men David King, Daniel Hoyne lift lid on AFL trends after round 6

Are St Kilda on a collision course with an unlikely deep finals run in 2022? An astounding stat reveals in 19 of the 21 times it’s been achieved, the team has reached the prelim.

Are the surprise-packet Saints headed for a preliminary final?

Pure Footy TV analysts David King and Daniel Hoyne have revealed the sterling stats that reveal 5-1 St Kilda is set for a deep AFL finals run in 2022.

WATCH THIS WEEK’S EDITION OF PURE FOOTY TV IN THE PLAYER ABOVE

“They’ve actually shocked quite a few, including myself, they’ve improved at a greater rate than we were expecting,” King said.

Champion Data guru Hoyne has drilled down into the stats that have the Saints pegged as one of the last-four teams standing at season’s end.

Stream every match of every round of the 2022 Toyota AFL Premiership Season Live & Ad-Break Free In-Play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >

The Saints are 2022’s surprise packets. Picture: Getty Images

“The conversation that really irritates me is who have they played?” Hoyne said of the Saints, who have beaten the Giants, Suns, Hawks, Tigers and Dockers.

“It’s not who have you played, it’s how you play is the most important thing.

“And the ‘how you play’ component will then eventually take care of the fixture and the opponents.”

Hoyne says the Saints ‘Core Four’ profile (in the table above) is second to only Brisbane in 2022.

“If you tick three of the four boxes — ranking top six — 19 out of 21 times you go on to make a prelim over the last decade,” Hoyne said.

“They’re ticking all four.”

Originally published as Pure Footy: Stats men David King, Daniel Hoyne lift lid on AFL trends after round 6