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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.
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.
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