Two statistics could prove crucial in determining this year’s big finalists.
After a year of constant change and uncertainty, football fans can comfort themselves that the four best teams of 2020 are now like no other the last four teams in this Premiership race.
The team unpacks the two delicious preliminary rounds of this week The ultimate preview of Fox Footy discovered two surprising statistics that could prove the difference in both games this week.
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Riewoldt ‘licks his lips’
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For the Battle of Port Adelaide and Richmond, the former needs to know how one of the latter’s strikers fares against them … and it’s not Tom Lynch.
“The problem is when you get too involved with Tom Lynch and worry, Jack Riewoldt licks his lips,” said St. Kilda’s great Leigh Montagna on Thursday night.
“He has scored at least three goals in 15 of his 17 games against power.”
How is Port Adelaide structured defensively?
“I think McKenzie will go to Tom Lynch, Tom Clurey to Jack Riewoldt, they will rely on Tom Jonas to be that interceptor.”
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One statistic that the Force wants to make sure it wins is the score within 50 – they haven’t lost a game this year when they won that stat while they are only two out of five wins in the games they don’t to have .
McKenzie’s stats against Geelong’s Tom Hawkins had a positive effect at the end of the qualifying finals, but if it wasn’t for headstrong goalkicking things could have been very different. The key will be how he fares with Tom Lynch, who has had a game in which he scored a stack of hits.
For Brisbane and Geelong, Lions have been asked to ensure that one aspect of the game is under their control – that there is little control.
Hawkins Island is no more?
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Geelong’s Defensive Unit is unmatched. Veterans Harry Taylor and Lachie Henderson are absolutely solid in tackling, while Tom Stewart takes the lead in rebound, second only to Patrick Dangerfield for average meters gained per game.
The best way to make the cats insecure seems to be to opt for the underutilized “chaos ball” that goes within 50 minutes.
“We know how great Geelong is on the defensive, but they’re good when they’re built, structured and organized,” Montagna began.
“If you can turn it into a bit of chaos and get a bit of speed on the ground, Geelong are vulnerable. They made 37 percent of the shots at small strikers, which is the highest percentage in the league. “
Cats take part in the Isaac Smith race
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It’s an amazing statistic that, Montagna notes, was proven in the qualifying finals when Steven Motlop put it by the sword, along with her close shave on lap 18 with Sydney, where Tom Papley started 2.5.
Making this statistic even more appealing to the Lions is the skill of their little ones – they have scored the most goals on a team of players who are no more than 184 centimeters tall.
If 2020 has taught us anything, the unexpected is to be expected. But with only the top four teams left in the Premiership race, things may get a little less unpredictable.
We’ll find out how much the stats count for this weekend.
The ultimate preview of FOX FOOTY will air Thursday evening during the finale at 7:30 p.m. on FOX FOOTY, Channel 504 on Foxtel.
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