2009 MidYear [split round] discussion thread.

[blynd_freddie]

As there is no Lions game/preview discussion thread this week, I thought I’d offer an observational discussion thread for this week.

To date our win loss ratio is 7:5 with a For and Against percentage of 105.33.

Our quarter by quarter running total scores so far this year are.

Lions VS Opponents
1stQ: 33:30 – 228 Vs 40:41 – 281
2ndQ: 75:54 – 504 Vs 85:79 – 589
3rdQ: 122:85 – 817 Vs 114:117 – 801
4thQ: 166:111 – 1107 Vs 151:145 – 1051

Another way to look at the above scoreboard is the goals and behinds registered for each quarter.

Lions VS Opponents
1stQ: 33:30 – 228 Vs 40:41 – 281 …. [ - 53 points ]
2ndQ: 42:24 – 276 Vs 45:38 – 308 …. [ -32 points ]
3rdQ: 47:31 – 313 Vs 29:38 – 212 …. [ + 101 points ]
4thQ: 44:26 – 290 Vs 37:28 – 250 …. [ + 40 points]

Starting discussion point, on average we seem to start slowly, interesting to note we have only been leading at half time in 4 of the 12 games. Is Voss and assistants good at analysing the oppositions game plan come half time? At half time the scoring shots read, Lions 129 against 164. By full time we have increased our scoring shots rate, Lions 277 against 296. The obvious statistical reason we are winning is our scoring shot accuracy, as has been mentioned by many 166 goals from 277 registered scoring shots, which is around 59.93% against our opponents 51.01%.

At the same period of time last year [after Rnd12 2008] we were also 7:5 with a percentage of 106.0. We had had 359 scoring shots, 82 more than this year but only with an accuracy percentage of 50.14, compared to our opponents 323 shots and an accuracy of 53.56%

If you were to pick our best 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th scoring quarters and our opponents corresponding scores for the same quarter, the final score of Lions 28 : 8 – 176pts Vs Opposition 10 : 14 – 74pts highlights my point.

In summary to the end of round 12 we have lost the first half by a total of 85 points yet won the 3rd and 4th quarters by a total of 141 points. This is an amazing turn around 226 points.

I hope you are reading this Duritz, I would (eventually) love your opinion on holding back on Lions bets until half time. Four of our seven wins this year have been coming back from half time deficits.

 

[Always a Lion]

Great observations.

As you say, Voss and his team in the box are great at analysing the opposition during the game, and working out a way of beating them.

It shows that Coaches are working coherently, and that they are able to communicate plans of action to the players and moreover that the players are understanding those plans and are able to implement them successfully.

It Shows great promise, I think now the coaches will want to prepare for the opposition a little more effectively, so that the team can take control and dominate the contest from the first bounce.

When we start doing this, I reckon there going to be some major blowouts... like there were in 1999.

 

[konstas_87]

very interesting read.

it's ironic under Leigh in the last couple of seasons we were able to jump out of the blocks but had trouble running out games.

now that we're under Vossy we're starting slow but running over the top of sides

great to see that we're finally kicking straight, makes such a difference to the pressure we can apply to the opposition during games if we're scoring goals rather than just controlling the play with no reward.

 

[charles202]

It is great that our goal kicking accuracy has improved this year.

I would love to see a diagram of our where our shots for goals have come from this year compared to last.

I would imagine with the more direct, through the corridor, approach that Voss has instilled that we would have had more shots in that 45 degree arc in front of goal rather than from the pockets.

 

[The Flying Belgian]

Geez, wouldn't it be good if this was published somewhere else as well, eh Fred?

(wink wink budge nidge cajole cajole)

 

[Cousin Jed]

Voss has said the last couple of weeks that the players have been very tentative in the first half, whereas they have been more willing to take the game on and in their skills in the 2nd half.

Interestingly enough the quarters won stat by quarter, shows the 3rd quarter dominance but doesn't really fully reflect the scoring gap in the other 3:

1: 5-7
2: 6-5-1
3: 7-4-1
4: 6-6

 

[lions_den]

This thread is Duritz's wet dream

 

[blynd_freddie]

I would love to see a diagram of our where our shots for goals have come from this year compared to last.

I did look at doing that at some stage last year and it seemed all too (manually) hard, I may revisit as there is a lot less goals to log to this point in time.

Geez, wouldn't it be good if this was published somewhere else as well, eh Fred?

(wink wink budge nidge cajole cajole)

Haha TFB, just might have to... just to shut you up.
But you’ve only got to look at my thread stats to know they won’t be much better than quarterly instalments.

I wonder if it is also a thing of confidence and self belief, once the run of play starts to go our way scoring seems to snowball eg the third quarters. Then who knows, come the last quarter the pressure of must win, contain the opposition reduces the positive flow of the side – Thinking the Saints game as an example.

Our next game will, in my mind be a great indication of where the level of enthusiasm and confidence is at and where we are heading this year. [but that's for next week]

 

[acuguy]

Our boys are building belief, to build belief you must achieve wins that are 50 50 at later stages of the game. If this belief continues to grow then we will begin to start games better. We are building, how far i don't know. Two words - Baby Bombers- that should continue to be Vossy's blueprint!

 

[whizkizz]

We're really going to have to start running games out strongly. Not that this seems to be a problem, maybe we should start a game well and continue running it out. Come the end of the year, percentage is going to determine which sides just miss out and which sides just scrape through to finals.

If Sydney win tomorrow, there will be 3 teams sitting on 6-6 that are outside the eight. We might be sitting 4th and pretty, but we're only say a 60 point loss from being out of the eight.

Here's hoping we can really flog the Dees next week

 

[chopperduck]

We have some very winable games coming up that we just can't drop, melb, port, freo, north, the pies and the cats. We need to win all of those games, except maybe the cats game, however, it will be a great show of how far the team has come. Within 6 weeks, we should have ourselves firmly entrenched in the 8, and pushing for a top 4 spot.

It has been very promising seeing us run out games with one or two players down as well. We could barely run out a game last year with a full team. I think we are still pretty fresh this year as well. Exciting times

 

[MacMum]

This damned Melb. game worries me.....was hoping they would win last night.....the likelyhood of winning two in a row for them, would have been remote.....however, now their determination will be growing..

And they have done it before

 

[_Gin]

No I'm happy with Melbourne losing. I believe a side coming off a win after a string of losses is a much more dangerous opponent. They've had to deal with defeat and they've just had a taste of victory to have a hungering for more.

As it is, the Lions will be fresh, filled with confidence and a hunger Voss has instilled in them. Should be a nice strong win.

 

[Tassie4ever]

Percentage will be absolutely critical this year, with ladder positions so close.

 

[blynd_freddie]

Percentage will be absolutely critical this year, with ladder positions so close.

Forecast:
Wednesday Fine Min 14 Max 24
Thursday Fine Min 12 Max 24
Friday Mostly fine. Rain developing late Min 12 Max 23
Saturday Rain periods Min 13 Max 21
Sunday Fine Min 11 Max 22
Monday Fine Min 10 Max 24

Fine, Fine, Mostly Fine, Saturday Rain Periods, Fine, Fine... those rain periods won't help the percentage.

 

[mINORITY]

Forecast:
Wednesday Fine Min 14 Max 24
Thursday Fine Min 12 Max 24
Friday Mostly fine. Rain developing late Min 12 Max 23
Saturday Rain periods Min 13 Max 21
Sunday Fine Min 11 Max 22
Monday Fine Min 10 Max 24

Fine, Fine, Mostly Fine, Saturday Rain Periods, Fine, Fine... those rain periods won't help the percentage.

But didn't it work out against Sydney in the rain?