We run, and we run - the stats thread

[Mofra]

For shits and giggles, I thought I'd look at our average stats vs opponents here:

https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/th-western-bulldogs

Western Bulldogs 2020 Averages Per Game
Team GM K HB D M T G B HO FF FA GA CL CG R50
Bulldogs 7 165.9 141.4 307.3 66.3 47.7 9.1 7.7 17.4 17.7 16 5.3 27.4 42 29.9
Opponent 7 179.9 120.3 300.1 81.7 48.3 9.1 7.8 39 15.9 17.6 6.3 28.3 46.9 32
Team/Opp. Diff. 7 -14 21.1 7.2 -15.4 -0.6 0 0 -21.6 1.9 -1.6 -1 -0.9 -4.9 -2.1

Forgive formatting, but if you have a look at the stats we're behind our opponents in most measures - including (surprisingly) clearances and rebound 50s. We also kick the ball, on average, 14 times less than our opponents.

The two stats that stand out like dog testicles are hit-outs (no surprise) where we average 21.6 less hit-outs per game, and handballs where we average 21.1 more handballs per game.

Handball club is back - we're clearly under instruction to run the ball and release by hand rather than just boot the pill forward to contest after contest. We also seem to be less willing to chip the ball around, with 15.4 less marks per game on average. More chaos, less control - we're speeding up the game.

We clearly want to generate scoring chains from the back half, which has Jason Johannisen(!) our leading assist player. Bailey Williams is, unsurprisingly, leading our rebound 50s with a total of 31. Wallis is leading the goal-kicking which is more 'death by 1000 cuts' than a player the opposition would put serious time into.

What does that mean for the rest of the year?
Well at the selection table we'd be far more likely to go 'short' (as we did against Essendon) than go 'tall' (as we did in round 1). It also means the idea of playing a second competent ruckman to give Tim English a chop out is unlikely to happen, so Trengove and Sweet may not get a chance as long as Timmy stays fit.

Lastly high-speed, low production types (Vandermeer, Ed Richards) will get ample opportunity to keep their spots provided they run the ball when it's their turn, and players who panic with the ball in hand or dispose of it too quickly (Trengove, and Lippi has done it occasionally in the past) will be under more pressure.