A season in stats

[bornadog]

Link (http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/tabid/4112/default.aspx?newsid=147337&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter)

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa198/mmsalih/420919-ryan-griffen.jpg

Watching the on field exploits of Boyd, Lake, Griffen and Murphy, there's little doubt amongst the Western Bulldogs faithful about their class, but look to the statisticians' spreadsheets and you'll find the quartet have again placed amongst the AFL's elite in 2012. Numbers don't lie.

Unlucky not to gain All Australian nomination for the fourth year running, Western Bulldogs skipper Matthew Boyd impressed with his on-field leadership in season 2012, but it was again by sheer volume of numbers that the 207-gamer consolidated his spot as the league's number one ball winner.

Amassing an enormous 721 possessions in his 22 games of Season 2012, 30-year-old Boyd led the AFL for total disposals, going at a touch under 33 disposals per match. With 20 more disposals than last season, Boyd was in scintillating form even by his high standards, but it wasn't just the quantity of the possessions that impressed, there was quality too.

Thriving on the contest and strong around stoppages, Boyd ranked fifth in the league for contested possessions and sixth for clearances, while the efficiency of his disposals was confirmed by ending the season fourth in the league for average effective disposals per game.

Gutsy midfield compatriot Daniel Cross ranked tenth in the league for later category.

The Bulldogs back six also saw their fair share of ball this season, with two-time All Australian Brian Lake growing in confidence as the season progressed playing his trademark floating roll across the last line. A sign of his form, Lake clunked 160 marks across his 20 games to rank second in the league in total and average marks per game.

Lake also featured prominently in the competition for total rebound 50s (12th - 77), however fellow Robert Murphy was the top Dog in the category with a Club leading 85 rebound 50s - seventh in the AFL - placing him amongst the AFL's premier rebounding defenders.

The season past also saw Ryan Griffen continue his evolution into one of the game’s elite midfielders, with his ability to win his own ball and break lines forward of centre helping him accumulate 106 Inside 50's for the season, ranking fifth in the competition for that statistical category in 2012.

Missing all but one game, Will Minson capped a breakout year by leading the league for total hitouts, laying first hand on the ball at a stoppage on 667 occasions in his 21 games. The figure was almost quadruple the number of hitouts Minson had in 2011.

Of his total hitouts, 161 were to advantage ranking 4th in the league in that stat.

Gaining acclaim for his run-with roles in 2012, and only one of two Bulldogs to play every game, Liam Picken also made his own impression on statisticians, laying 119 tackles in Season 2012 to sit 11th in the league for the category.

In a season that saw him earn a Rising Star nomination, Mitch Wallis also scraped into a statistical top-20, ranked 16th (13.5) in the competition for average handballs per match.

[Ghost Dog]

Well done Matty Boyd. What an effort.

[bornadog]

Missing all but one game, Will Minson capped a breakout year by leading the league for total hitouts, laying first hand on the ball at a stoppage on 667 occasions in his 21 games. The figure was almost quadruple the number of hitouts Minson had in 2011.

Of his total hitouts, 161 were to advantage ranking 4th in the league in that stat.

Totally underrated by Bulldogs fans as well as the AFL. Love his work.

[Desipura]

Totally underrated by Bulldogs fans as well as the AFL. Love his work.

Too bad we could not capitalize, still finished 15th

[mjp]

Too bad we could not capitalize, still finished 15th

Too much left to too few Desi.

Our best players were very good this year and I was amazed there wasn't more of an outcry about Boyd and Minson missing the All-Aust squad of 40.

That Boyd isn't in the 22 and a contender for captain is a disgrace and the club should be screaming this from the rooftops.

[Ghost Dog]

Online petition. Let's do it.

[AndrewP6]

Too much left to too few Desi.

Our best players were very good this year and I was amazed there wasn't more of an outcry about Boyd and Minson missing the All-Aust squad of 40.

That Boyd isn't in the 22 and a contender for captain is a disgrace and the club should be screaming this from the rooftops.


Online petition. Let's do it.

I think we should put our energies into becoming even a semi-decent football team.

[mjp]

I think we should put our energies into becoming even a semi-decent football team.

Great. Me too.

Not sure the coaches or footy department need to do anything here - don't we have a marketing team who can scream from the rooftops? Don't we have a president who could mention this in a few interviews?

It isn't rocket science and it builds feeling and loyalty amongst the playing group when they believe that THEIR club is in THEIR corner.

[AndrewP6]

Great. Me too.

Not sure the coaches or footy department need to do anything here - don't we have a marketing team who can scream from the rooftops? Don't we have a president who could mention this in a few interviews?

It isn't rocket science and it builds feeling and loyalty amongst the playing group when they believe that THEIR club is in THEIR corner.

I get what you're saying, I just don't think it's that important.

[LostDoggy]

I get what you're saying, I just don't think it's that important.
I think it's important. We are disappearing more and more media wise.
Losing members hand over fist for a number of reasons and one being we have no visible 'stars'.
Selling our players to the public should be a priority.

Another example how Melbourne were screaming about Scully's worth well before the official signing. We didn't say boo about Ward and got less for a better player.

Not even mentioning the morale aspect mjp has.

[mighty_west]

I get what you're saying, I just don't think it's that important.

I used to have a similar view to yours, but you watch the likes of Eddie continually standing up for Collingwood, some may see it as sooking, but really all he's doing is standing up for his club and supporters, in such a competitive and passionate market, I'd love it if our club took a similar stand, the more you speak out the more people especially govening the game will have no choice but listen, and yes, had we stomped our feet enough we may have been given an extra draft pick as Melbourne received, and most people would have to agree that Ward is as valuable and perhaps arguably more valuable a player to GWS as Scully.

[Ghost Dog]

I think we should put our energies into becoming even a semi-decent football team.

Very well

[jeemak]

I think it's important. We are disappearing more and more media wise.
Losing members hand over fist for a number of reasons and one being we have no visible 'stars'.
Selling our players to the public should be a priority.

Another example how Melbourne were screaming about Scully's worth well before the official signing. We didn't say boo about Ward and got less for a better player.

Not even mentioning the morale aspect mjp has.

Agree with you here Chops.

Boyd's stats alone should have had him being considered as part of the 40, and I think this should be made clear publicly by our club.

Irrespective of whether we think he uses it well enough, he still managed to get his hands on the ball all the time, and every time he did around the stoppages meant the opposition didn't.

[Ghost Dog]

Good luck getting the club to show any bulldog spirit on this one.


Western Bulldogs football manager James Fantasia said Boyd was unlucky to miss the squad.

"We would have thought he would have been highly considered," Fantasia said.

"He has always put his best foot forward and he's certainly a high possession-getter, but that's the way it goes."

Would like to see here instead " We raised our eyebrows and can't see any reason why Matthew shoudn't be all Australian." Or something or other.

But then again, I just love belting Fantasia. Whack.

[LostDoggy]

...Gaining acclaim for his run-with roles in 2012, and only one of two Bulldogs to play every game, Liam Picken also made his own impression on statisticians, laying 119 tackles in Season 2012 to sit 11th in the league for the category. ...

My personal favourite.

[jeemak]

Good luck getting the club to show any bulldog spirit on this one.


Western Bulldogs football manager James Fantasia said Boyd was unlucky to miss the squad.

"We would have thought he would have been highly considered," Fantasia said.

"He has always put his best foot forward and he's certainly a high possession-getter, but that's the way it goes."

Would like to see here instead " We raised our eyebrows and can't see any reason why Matthew shoudn't be all Australian." Or something or other.

But then again, I just love belting Fantasia. Whack.

I think it's a given from his comments "We would have thought he would have been highly considered,".

Not sure if the language is plain enough for you, but it is for me. Being highly considered means he should have potentially made the team, let alone the 40.

[Remi Moses]

I think it's important. We are disappearing more and more media wise.
Losing members hand over fist for a number of reasons and one being we have no visible 'stars'.
Selling our players to the public should be a priority.

Another example how Melbourne were screaming about Scully's worth well before the official signing. We didn't say boo about Ward and got less for a better player.

Not even mentioning the morale aspect mjp has.

Agree ( for a change) It burns me the whole Ward debacle!
Could you imagine how purple Eddie would go if that happened !
Boyd should have been at least in the 40 man squad!!
Read the best post on BF that a club should be supplemented for outstanding performance over a 2 to 3 year period . Subscribing to the AFL's slap shot template, take the 07 draft we would have got better picks for Grant than Hawthorn would get for Rioli or Dangerfield!

[Ghost Dog]

I think it's a given from his comments "We would have thought he would have been highly considered,".

Not sure if the language is plain enough for you, but it is for me. Being highly considered means he should have potentially made the team, let alone the 40.

Matty needed someone to go into bat a little more strongly for him IMO. But that's my two cents. The panel considered him for sure. But really, his omission begs questions about the fairness of the process. The only reason he wasn't in was because of the poor performance of the team as a whole.

[The Pie Man]

Of the midfielders picked, he (Boyd) maybe stiff to miss behing Reilly & Birchall, but arguments can be easily mounted the other way. They both had influential roles in top 4 teams - we had the season we had, losing games by the margins we did.

[LostDoggy]

Of the midfielders picked, he (Boyd) maybe stiff to miss behing Reilly & Birchall, but arguments can be easily mounted the other way. They both had influential roles in top 4 teams - we had the season we had, losing games by the margins we did.

Neither Reilly or Birchall are midfielders, both backmen.

[The Pie Man]

Neither Reilly or Birchall are midfielders, both backmen.

Who of the midfielders/on-ballers picked do you think Boyd should have been ahead of?

[Maddog37]

Thriving on the contest and strong around stoppages, Boyd ranked fifth in the league for contested possessions and sixth for clearances, while the efficiency of his disposals was confirmed by ending the season fourth in the league for average effective disposals per game.

I thought Boydy improved in this area as the year went on.

[LostDoggy]

Who of the midfielders/on-ballers picked do you think Boyd should have been ahead of?

I would have Boyd ahead of the following:

Hayes - Been pretty good in his year back from injury, but Boyd has been so much better.

Pendlebury - Was dominate until round 11ish when he got injured. Has been pretty average for his standards since returning, not saying Boyd is a better player than Pendles, but not sure if he deserves to be ahead of Boydy for playing a good half year.

Swallow - Toss of the coin this one, Swallows been consistently pretty good, same as Boyd. But for bias sakes i'll have Boyd ahead oh him just.

I also think Cotchins year has been extremely overrated. He has been really good this year and i would have him in the top 40 over Boyd just. However brownlow medal favourite? Pffft.

Cotchin will not finish in the top 5 comes Brownlow night.

I also think Boyd will poll more votes than him.

[MrMahatma]

Thriving on the contest and strong around stoppages, Boyd ranked fifth in the league for contested possessions and sixth for clearances, while the efficiency of his disposals was confirmed by ending the season fourth in the league for average effective disposals per game.

I thought Boydy improved in this area as the year went on.
I'll raise my hand as someone not surprised he got a lot of the pill, but almost fell off my chair at the efficiency stat!

[jeemak]

I'll raise my hand as someone not surprised he got a lot of the pill, but almost fell off my chair at the efficiency stat!

I wonder how the percentage of efficient disposals would look, rather than total number of efficienct disposals.

[Cyberdoggie]

Perhaps focussing on team rather than individuals would be a good step forward for our club which has always idolized it's stars due to lack of success as a team.

If we are whinging that we don't have an all-australian then perhaps we should focus on being a better team on the field and maybe we'll see more in the future. The fact is that good sides usually get all the all australian honors, not sides that finish 4th bottom.

[Happy Days]

Perhaps focussing on team rather than individuals would be a good step forward for our club which has always idolized it's stars due to lack of success as a team.

If we are whinging that we don't have an all-australian then perhaps we should focus on being a better team on the field and maybe we'll see more in the future. The fact is that good sides usually get all the all australian honors, not sides that finish 4th bottom.

This. I haven't seen the last half of the season so I can't really comment on whether or not Boyd deserved the nod, but loudly complaining about it achieves nothing and is a bad look for a club with an outward perception of trumpeting individual achievements over team success. I remember the reaction on this board to the complaints against Libba not getting a RS nomination, how is this any different?

[Sedat]

If we are whinging that we don't have an all-australian then perhaps we should focus on being a better team on the field and maybe we'll see more in the future. The fact is that good sides usually get all the all australian honors, not sides that finish 4th bottom.
Well said. Give me Hawthorn's 1991 premiership team (that had no AA's in it) every day of the week. I personally don't think Boydy deserves to be in the team this year in any event.

[Ghost Dog]

fair enough. But is it at all right that a bloke ( any ) can have a stellar year in a team down the cellar and not get selected?

[bornadog]

fair enough. But is it at all right that a bloke ( any ) can have a stellar year in a team down the cellar and not get selected?

Unfortunately the way voting goes in any of these that's what happens. Have a look at the Brownlow; when was the last time a player from a bottom team won it? Even when they give out the 3 votes, its usually to the player from the winning team its an absolute joke.