Champion Data mid-year review: Improvements and concerns at your club so far this season
Who has taken their game to the next level in 2021? Or found form we thought was long gone? See every club’s improvers and strugglers.
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As the AFL season turns the corner towards the run home to the finals, Champion Data has run the rule over every team to find out what has worked – and what hasn’t this season.
Here is what has been the good, the bad … and sometimes ugly for your club this year.
ADELAIDE
THE GOOD
With the second youngest side and the least experienced side on average this year, the Crows have shown significant front half and contest improvement in the first half of the season. After a ranking of 18th last season, the Crows have jumped to No. 9 for forward half chains and time in forward half differential and are up to No. 7 for forward half intercepts. They’re up to No. 10 for contested possession differential from 16 last year and to No. 12 from last in 2020 for clearance differential.
The Improvers (Based on Champion Data analysis)
1. Taylor Walker
2. Jake Kelly
3. Paul Seedsman
THE BAD
Defence, ball movement and pressure are the biggest areas of concern for the Crows. Adelaide is ranked in the bottom four for points against, points against from turnovers and opposition scores per inside 50. The Crows are ranked No. 13 for pressure applied, No. 14 for post-clearance pressure applied and are ranked last in the league for their kick rating. They have slumped from No. 11 to 13th for defensive 50 to inside 50 ball movement and their ability to score from defensive 50 is also down to 15th from No.8.
Gone Backwards (Based on Champion Data analysis)
1. Andrew McPherson
2. Shane McAdam
3. Tom Lynch
BRISBANE LIONS
THE GOOD
Addressing their accuracy concern from last year, from Round 5 onwards the Lions are ranked No. 1 for points scored, third for points from turnovers and second in the league for points from stoppages. The Lions have boasted strong forward-half numbers and are No. 1 in the league for forward half intercepts and second in the competition for time in forward half differential and for points from forward half stoppages. The Lions have also addressed midfield concerns from last year, the Lions are ranked second in the league for contested possession differential and ground ball differential and third for clearance differential.
The Improvers (Based on Champion Data analysis)
1 Dayne Zorko
2. Lincoln McCarthy
3. Keidean Coleman
THE BAD
Despite their strong forward-half numbers, the Lions’ ball movement and how they use it exiting their defensive 50 remains a concern. The Lions are ranked 17th for their ball movement from defensive midfield to inside 50, 15th from defensive 50 to inside 50 and 13th for points from defensive half chains. There is also a question mark over defending turnovers, with the Lions averaging 38.7 points against from turnovers in wins and 54.2 points against from turnovers in losses. The Lions aren’t as young as what people think – they are the sixth oldest team on average.
Gone Backwards (Based on Champion Data analysis)
1. Thomas Berry
2. Ryan Lester
3. Grant Birchall
CARLTON
THE GOOD
The Blues front-half numbers in the first five rounds were sustainable and they were ranked No. 6 for clearance differential and inside 50 differential and fifth in the league for time in forward half differential and forward half intercepts during that period. And 47 per cent of the Blues total score came from the front halt in those early rounds but accuracy cost them. There has been no greater shining light in the front half than Coleman medal leader Harry McKay, who leads the league goal kicking with 41 goals and has been the Blues’ biggest improver this year according to Champion Data.
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The Improvers (Based on Champion Data analysis)
1 Harry McKay
2. Eddie Betts
3. Lachie Fogarty
THE BAD
It’s no surprise defence has been highlighted as the major concern for Carlton by Champion Data. As the club undertakes a wide review, on-field the spotlight has shone on the team’s defensive woes. The Blues are ranked 17th for points against and points against from stoppages and 13th for points against from turnovers. With co-captain Patrick Cripps not having the same impact around the stoppages, no one has picked up the slack leaving the Blues ranked 13th for contested possession differential and clearance differential, 15th for ground ball differential and 16th for pressure.
Gone Backwards (Based on Champion Data analysis)
1. Jack Newnes
2. Levi Casboult
3. Patrick Cripps
COLLINGWOOD
THE GOOD
In a year when the coach and president have gone and the club has been beset by off-field board rumblings, defence has remained the team’s No. 1 strength on-field. The Magpies are ranked No. 6 for points against, No. 3 for opposition scores per inside 50, No. 4 for points against from stoppages and have the No. 1 defensive one-on-one contest win rate. As they look to the future, the Magpies have used the fourth-most players on their list and the most debutants of any team in the AFL.
The Improvers (Based on Champion Data analysis)
1. Darcy Cameron
2. Chris Mayne
3. Jordan Roughead
THE BAD
The front half remains the No. 1 issue for the Magpies. They are ranked 16th in the league for points scored, 13th for scores per inside 50 and 15th for points from stoppages. Champion Data also has the Magpies ranked 11th for forward half intercepts and time in forward half differential. Collingwood’s ball movement is also a concern. The team is ranked last in the competition for their ability to move from defensive 50 to inside 50 and for points from defensive half chains.
Gone Backwards (Based on Champion Data analysis)
1. Jack Madgen
2. Tyler Brown
3. Jordan De Goey
ESSENDON
THE GOOD
The fifth youngest team and the fourth least experienced team in the competition on average, the Bombers have the highest scoring matches in the league. Their offence has them ranked second in the AFL for points scored, third for scores per inside 50, fourth for points from stoppages and fifth for points from turnovers. The Dons’ ball movement is also strong, ranking No. 2 in the league for defensive half chain and fifth for their ability to move the ball from defensive 50 to inside 50. Jake Stringer’s 20-goal season to date has him pegged as the Bombers’ biggest improver this year by Champion Data.
The Improvers (Based on Champion Data analysis)
1. Jake Stringer
2. Mason Redman
3. Andrew Phillips
THE BAD
Champion Data has identified the Bombers’ defence as its main area of concern but acknowledged this just needed time with Laverde, Stewart, Hind and Heppell all new additions. The Bombers are ranked 14th for points conceded, 13th for opposition scores per inside 50 and last for points against from turnovers, although this has improved across the last five weeks. Essendon also has a low ranking of 15th for contested possession differential and 14th for clearance differential.
Gone Backwards (Based on Champion Data analysis)
1. Brayden Ham
2. Jayden Laverde
3. Brandon Zerk-Thatcher
FREMANTLE
THE GOOD
After Justin Longmuir prioritised defence last year, Champion Data says the Dockers defence has gone slightly backwards this season while the offence has improved. The Dockers have been strong in the contest and their contested possession differential, clearance differential, loose ball differential and pre-clearance contested possession is all up significantly on last year. The Dockers ball movement has also improved and they are the No. 2 ranked team for their movement from defensive 50 to inside 50 and ranked third for their ability to score from defensive 50.
The Improvers (Based on Champion Data analysis)
1. Michael Frederick
2. Connor Blakely
3. David Mundy
THE BAD
Accuracy and inefficiency has cost the Dockers this year. They are ranked last in the league for shot at goal accuracy and 15th for expected accuracy. Fremantle is also ranked 15th for goals per inside 50 and are No. 13 for points scored. The Dockers turnover numbers need to improve as well with the team ranked 17th in the league for points from turnovers and points from forward half intercepts.
Gone Backwards (Based on Champion Data analysis)
1. Michael Walters
2. Griffin Logue
3. Nat Fyfe
GEELONG
THE GOOD
The midfield has been a clear strength for the Cats, whose numbers have been better against the top-eight teams than the bottom eight, according to Champion Data’s analysis. The Cats are ranked No. 1 in the competition for contested possession differential, ground ball and loose ball differential and No. 2 for clearance differential. Champion Data rates the Cats’ defence as solid but room to improve. They are ranked No. 3 for points against and No. 1 for points against from turnovers.
The Improvers (Based on Champion Data analysis)
1. Jeremy Cameron
2. Lachie Handerson
3. Jake Kolodjashnij
THE BAD
The Cats turnover game is its biggest concern. Geelong is ranked ninth in the competition for points against from turnovers, No. 10 for forward half intercepts and 14th for points from forward half intercepts.
Gone Backwards (Based on Champion Data analysis)
1. Shaun Higgins
2. Jed Bews
3. Luke Dahlhaus
GOLD COAST SUNS
THE GOOD
The youngest team on average this season, the Suns have improved defensively. After a ranking of 14th last year, the Suns are now seventh in the league for points conceded. They’ve risen to No. 5 for opposition scores per inside 50 from eighth last season. The Suns are also one of the stronger ground ball teams across the competition and are ranked fourth for ground ball differential and eighth for post-clearance ground ball differential, both up from last season.
The Improvers (Based on Champion Data analysis)
1. Josh Corbett
2. David Swallow
3. Nick Holman
THE BAD
Gold Coast’s offence is its major concern. The Suns are ranked No. 17 in the league for points scored, down from 10th last season. They are also ranked 17th for scores per inside 50, also well down on last year. The Suns are not generating any territory dominance and are ranked 16th for inside 50 differential and 15th for time in forward half differential. The loss of Jarrod Witts (and to a lesser extent Matt Rowell) can’t be undersold – the team are ranked sixth for contested possession differential with Witts but 16th without him.
Gone Backwards (Based on Champion Data analysis)
1. Sean Lemmens
2. Ben Ainsworth
3. Izak Rankine
GWS GIANTS
THE GOOD
The Giants have a clear strength around the stoppage and contest. They are ranked No. 1 in the league for points from stoppages, fourth for contested possession differential and third for ground ball and clearance differential. The highest percentage of the Giants score comes from stoppages and a lot of the scoring from the back half comes through efficiency. They are ranked No. 3 in the league for points from the defensive half and No. 1 for scores per inside 50. The ball movement has also improved from last season.
The Improvers (Based on Champion Data analysis)
1. Jeremy Finlayson
2. Shane Mumford
3. Jacob Hopper
THE BAD
From Round 4 onwards, the Giants haven’t generated any territory dominance from their stoppages success. They are 17th for time in forward half differential and 14th for inside 50 differential. There is also a question mark over their turnover game. The Giants average 41.7 points against from turnovers in wins and 61.2 points against from turnovers in losses.
Gone Backwards (Based on Champion Data analysis)
1. Bobby Hill
2. Nick Haynes
3. Brent Daniels
HAWTHORN
THE GOOD
The Hawks have shown a clear brand, which has largely been around high disposals but also taking the game on through the corridor when the opportunity presents. They rank fourth in the competition for moving the ball from defensive 50 to inside-50 and hold the same ranking for points generated from defensive 50 chains. Defensively, Hawthorn has also been relatively strong and they is ranked No. 7 for opposition scores per inside-50.
The Improvers (Based on Champion Data analysis)
1. Changkuoth Jiath
2. Jarman Impey
3. Oliver Hanrahan
THE BAD
It’s the same old story, with the Hawthorn midfield the biggest concern. The Hawks rank 17th for contested possession differential and clearance differential, as well as 14th for groundball differential. On the back of this, their forward-half game is woeful, with the club ranking 18th for time in forward half differential, inside-50 differential and forward half intercepts.
Gone Backwards (Based on Champion Data analysis)
1. Shaun Burgoyne
2. Liam Shiels
3. James Cousins
MELBOURNE
THE GOOD
An improved defence has been key for the Demons this season, with the side which ranked 10th for opposition scores per inside-50 last season now the competition’s leader. The full-ground defensive mindset means Melbourne has also improved its ranking from 13th to 8th for opposition teams converting defensive-50 ball chains into inside-50s. A forward-half game and contest are also pillars of the Demons’ game, with the side ranking 2nd for time in forward half differential, 1st for forward half intercepts and 3rd for contested possession differential.
The Improvers (Based on Champion Data analysis)
1. James Harmes
2. Luke Jackson
3. Kosi Pickett
THE BAD
Despite having one of the competition’s top ruckman in Max Gawn, the Demons have been beaten up in the clearance department, ranking 9th for overall clearance differential and 13th for centre bounce clearance differential. However, they have generally defended opposition clearances well. Losses to Collingwood and Adelaide came after those sides carefully maintained possession and therefore control, not giving Melbourne a chance to win the ball back.
Gone Backwards (Based on Champion Data analysis)
1. Sam Weideman
2. Angus Brayshaw
3. Tom Sparrow
NORTH MELBOURNE
THE GOOD
New coach David Noble is trying to implement an identifiable style of play, with aggressive ball movement and direct use of the corridor out of defensive 50. Since Round 5, the Kangaroos have significantly improved defensively, conceding an average of 93.8 points a game, down from 122.8 points a game in the opening month. A lot of this difference has been on the back of improvement in defending stoppages. The third-youngest team on average this season, North also has the fifth-highest winning percentage from defensive one-on-one contests.
The Improvers (Based on Champion Data analysis)
1. Jack Ziebell
2. Aiden Bonar
3. Jaidyn Stephenson
THE BAD
The Kangaroos are still struggling to kick a winning score in the front half, ranking last in the competition for both points scored and scores per inside-50. They are also putting their defence under enormous pressure given they are ranked 17th for time in forward half differential on the back of the midfield not winning enough ball. The Roos rank 15th for clearance differential, 18th for groundball differential and 17th for looseball differential.
Gone Backwards (Based on Champion Data analysis)
1. Curtis Taylor
2. Josh Walker
3. Luke Davies-Uniacke
PORT ADELAIDE
THE GOOD
Since Round 7, the Power have returned to a more sustainable brand of football after relying heavily on scores from the back half in the opening six weeks of the season. Defensively they have been sound, ranking 4th for points conceded and 2nd for opposition scores per inside-50. Since Round 7, Port has also become a leading forward-half team, ranking No. 1 for forward half intercepts and No. 2 for scoring from those forward half intercepts.
The Improvers (Based on Champion Data analysis)
1. Aliir Aliir
2. Orazio Fantasia
3. Dan Houston
THE BAD
Since Round 7, the scoring has largely dried up for the Power. Since then, they rank 11th for points scored and 16th for scores per inside-50. They are also struggling to punish teams from the back half, ranking 17th for chains originating from the defensive 50 resulting in scores. One other worrying statistic is that Port has lost every match this year when it has lost the contested possession count. It ranks 13th overall for contested possession differential.
Gone Backwards (Based on Champion Data analysis)
1. Steven Motlop
2. Darcy Byrne-Jones
3. Hamish Hartlett
RICHMOND
THE GOOD
The Tigers’ brand is much the same as its premiership years of recent seasons, being a low disposal and low stoppages team that plays the game in their forward half and punishes opposition sides on turnover. The reigning premiers rank No. 1 for points from turnovers this year as well as third for both time in forward half differential and forward half intercepts. They are also providing ample opportunities to their forwards, ranking 5th for inside-50 differential.
The Improvers (Based on Champion Data analysis)
1. Dion Prestia
2. Nathan Broad
3. Noah Balta
THE BAD
Richmond’s long-heralded defence has been found out at times this season. The side has slipped from No. 2 for points conceded last season to No. 9 this season. Turnovers in the back half have proved costly, with the Tigers implementing a stronger possession game to protect their defence. The contest also continues to be a weakness, with the side ranked 18th for clearance differential and 14th for contested possession differential.
Gone Backwards (Based on Champion Data analysis)
1. Tom Lynch
2. Nick Vlastuin
3. Toby Nankervis
ST KILDA
THE GOOD
There hasn’t been a lot to get excited about with the Saints this year after the club took such positive steps forward in 2020. Most of the good was last year and what St Kilda needs to get back to in the second half of the season if it wants to win some more games. The club was ranked No. 2 for points from forward half chains last year, but has slipped to 15th this year. It was also ranked No. 3 for points from forward half intercepts and points from forward half clearances last year, but has dropped to 7th and 18th respectively in those two categories this season.
The Improvers (Based on Champion Data analysis)
1. Mason Wood
2. Dougal Howard
3. Rowan Marshall
THE BAD
This will come as no surprise to Saints fans – goalkicking accuracy has been a killer. The club ranks No. 17 for shot at goal accuracy this season, a massive drop off from a ranking of No. 2 last season. As a result, St Kilda is 15th for points scored and it sits 16th for scores per inside-50. Defensively things have also fallen down, with the Saints ranked 13th for points against and 14th for opposition scores per inside-50.
Gone Backwards (Based on Champion Data analysis)
1. Ben Long
2. Dan Butler
3. Jack Lonie
SYDNEY
THE GOOD
The Swans have certainly released the shackles and opened things up offensively this year with a more attacking game style. They rank No. 1 for moving the ball from defensive 50 to inside 50 and for scoring from those defensive 50 chains. Their turnover game is also strong, ranking No. 4 for points from turnovers and No. 6 for points against from turnovers. They rank second for pressure applied and sixth for forward half intercepts.
The Improvers (Based on Champion Data analysis)
1. Sam Reid
2. Callum Mills
3. Robbie Fox
THE BAD
Sydney has improved its work in the contest, but it is still far from perfect. The Swans rank No. 13 for points from stoppages and No. 12 for points against from stoppages. They have lifted their ranking for contested possession differential from No. 17 last year to No. 12 this year and have also moved up six spots in the clearance differential rankings to No. 10. But they are still struggling to play a front-half game on the back of these numbers, ranking 14th for time in forward half differential.
Gone Backwards (Based on Champion Data analysis)
1. George Hewett
2. Dane Rampe
3. Nick Blakey
WEST COAST
THE GOOD
It has largely been status quo from the past four years for the Eagles, who continue to try and control the game with ball in hand as a high-kicking and high-marking side. Their efficiency in scoring has been the biggest weapon this year, ranking No. 4 for points scored, No. 1 for shot at goal accuracy, No. 2 for scores per inside-50 and No. 1 for goals per inside-50. Stoppages also remain a strength, with the Eagles ranked fifth for clearance differential and second for centre bounce clearance differential.
The Improvers (Based on Champion Data analysis)
1. Jack Petruccelle
2. Jarrod Brander
3. Zac Langdon
THE BAD
There has been a drop off defensively, with West Coast dropping from No. 6 for points conceded last season to No. 11 this year. They also sit 17th for opposition scores per inside 50 and No. 11 for points against from turnovers. Groundball remains an issue, with the Eagles ranked last for groundball differential. Their ball movement from the back half has not been flash, either, ranking 16th for moving the ball from defensive 50 to inside-50.
Gone Backwards (Based on Champion Data analysis)
1. Xavier O’Neill
2. Tom Cole
3. Liam Duggan
WESTERN BULLDOGS
THE GOOD
There has been plenty to like about the Dogs this season, who rank No. 1 for points scored and No. 2 for points against. They have been incredibly efficient going forward, ranking No. 1 for scores per inside-50, and have multiple mods of being able to hurt opposition sides. They rank third for points from turnovers, second for points from stoppages and third for points from defensive half chains. One of the best contest teams in the competition, they also rank second for contested possession differential and first for clearance differential.
The Improvers (Based on Champion Data analysis)
1. Bailey Dale
2. Josh Bruce
3. Josh Dunkley
THE BAD
The Bulldogs defence was the concern early in the season, but it has seen a marked improvement in recent weeks. The Bulldogs ranked 18th for losing defensive one-on-one contests in the first seven rounds and 17th for neutralising defensive one-on-one contests. But they Round 8 they rank second and first respectively in those two categories. The Bulldogs’ losses this year have largely been self-inflicted, with the side being punished from turnovers on each occasion.
Gone Backwards (Based on Champion Data analysis)
1. Mitch Hannan
2. Caleb Daniel
3. Lachie Hunter
NOTE: ALL STATISTICS CORRECT AT THE END OF ROUND 14, 2021
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