Analysis Centre Bounce/Wing Attendance Megathread 2025

[ZoBlitz]

I am resting on my laurels this time around as I did have some plans to jazz things up but I haven't had a chance to turn this into reality.

Maybe later in the season!

But for new comers, I've been disappointed that there isn't an easy way online to look at which players are situated on either wing when the ball is bounced so I decided to start recording them myself. Last year I also decided to start including complementary centre bounce attendance stats, which are more readily available online. And for reference, when I use the terms "top" and "bottom", I am referring to the player's position when watched on the broadcast coverage.

Always happy for feedback!

Previous threads:

Centre Bounce/Wing Attendance Megathread 2024
Wing Attendance Megathread 2023

 

[ZoBlitz]

Bit of an "agile" start to the season in terms of attendances as Fletcher moved back to replace Starcevich and we had Levi and Zorko helping out Bailey and Berry from the third quarter onwards.

 

[ZoBlitz]

So this game started with Reville-Berry-L.Ashcroft on the wings and after Reville was subbed, Bailey moved into the wings.

 

[ZoBlitz]

Time for another setup, starting with Berry-Bailey-L.Ashcroft with Ah Chee playing the Gunston defensive winger role late in quarters. When Reville was subbed in for Lohmann, Bailey moved forward and Reville took on his wing attendances.

 

[Section 5]

Will Ashcroft CBA's game 1, 50%, Game 2, 51.7% game 3, 73.9% with Neale reduced to 56.52% for game 3.

 

[ZoBlitz]

The general ease of the win meant not too much chopping and changing on the wings or in the centre. We still haven't repeated the same main three wingers in four games so far this season.

 

[Section 5]

A fair % drop from Dunkley this week, down to 67.65%
Against the Dogs his CBA's will likely be back to the usual mid 80's

 

[Dalions]

A fair % drop from Dunkley this week, down to 67.65%
Against the Dogs his CBA's will likely be back to the usual mid 80's

I wonder if this drop was late in quarters? Hence Richmond walking it out of the centre.

 

[Nathan Barley]

A fair % drop from Dunkley this week, down to 67.65%
Against the Dogs his CBA's will likely be back to the usual mid 80's

Posted about it during the game. I think we have Rayner and Day more midfield time against a weaker opponent. Definitely some management going on

 

[KissKiss]

Even with the extra time in the middle, it's still only 5 CBA or 15% for Day as the ruck. Shows why the actual ruck craft is secondary to the forward work for this role.

Also I'm not really convinced by Bruce in the wing role for a full game. I dont thinkits the best option for the team going forward. I know that Fletcher was brilliant at half back, but we have lost a fair bit from him as a starting wing (and Bailey as backup).

 

[knaf]

Even with the extra time in the middle, it's still only 5 CBA or 15% for Day as the ruck. Shows why the actual ruck craft is secondary to the forward work for this role.

Also I'm not really convinced by Bruce in the wing role for a full game. I dont thinkits the best option for the team going forward. I know that Fletcher was brilliant at half back, but we have lost a fair bit from him as a starting wing (and Bailey as backup).

Bruce is a great story. Great to see his persistence rewarded. But he appears to be a low possession, very high impact player. I think he was abit like this in the vfl. Did some incredible things, then unsighted for a while. Don’t think he is lazy or lacks concentration just appears how his games pan out. Maybe reaching full afl level fitness will improve his consistency. Love him in the team for those high impact moments. I agree at this stage he doesn’t appear to provide the coverage of Berry or Fletcher.

I agree on the ruck comment. Can’t keep a player in the team if his main role is 5 or 6 centre attendances.

 

[Tom14]

Even with the extra time in the middle, it's still only 5 CBA or 15% for Day as the ruck. Shows why the actual ruck craft is secondary to the forward work for this role.

Also I'm not really convinced by Bruce in the wing role for a full game. I dont thinkits the best option for the team going forward. I know that Fletcher was brilliant at half back, but we have lost a fair bit from him as a starting wing (and Bailey as backup).

Jaspa at half back ends when Kiddy or Starce are fit imo. He goes to wing, someone else drops to sub (probably Levi barring other injuries etc).

 

[Nathan Barley]

Even with the extra time in the middle, it's still only 5 CBA or 15% for Day as the ruck. Shows why the actual ruck craft is secondary to the forward work for this role.

Also I'm not really convinced by Bruce in the wing role for a full game. I dont thinkits the best option for the team going forward. I know that Fletcher was brilliant at half back, but we have lost a fair bit from him as a starting wing (and Bailey as backup).

High scoring game as well so plenty of CBAs

 

[Section 5]

Also I'm not really convinced by Bruce in the wing role for a full game. I dont thinkits the best option for the team going forward. I know that Fletcher was brilliant at half back, but we have lost a fair bit from him as a starting wing (and Bailey as backup).

Jaspa at half back ends when Kiddy or Starce are fit imo. He goes to wing, someone else drops to sub (probably Levi barring other injuries etc).

Also, when Lohmann returns (hopefully v Pies) that pushes Reville/McLachlan out with Levi back to more wing time.

It would not surprise me if Reville is sub this week with McLachlan to the starting 22, and Levi to more wing time.
I would like to see more of McLachlan while he is in the mix.

 

[Dalions]

Also, when Lohmann returns (hopefully v Pies) that pushes Reville/McLachlan out with Levi back to more wing time.

It would not surprise me if Reville is sub this week with McLachlan to the starting 22, and Levi to more wing time.
I would like to see more of McLachlan while he is in the mix.

I was surprised when we didn’t line up this way against Richmond.

 

[Nunez]

I think I've seen enough in that Reville is better suited to a sub at this point. Unless we are going all in on him as a wingman and need to sink the games into him, I think making him an impact sub suits him best. Could develop into a nice wing, but just being mindful of when other players are back.

 

[ZoBlitz]

Finally got a chance to work on this after enjoying a holiday in South Australia. Definitely need two screens for this project.

Same wing setup as the previous week with Levi taking over Bruce's role when he was subbed off for Will McLachlan.

 

[ZoBlitz]

Well, a bit going on here. First was Tunstill replaced Reville on the wing as part of the team changes. Then in the third quarter Berry was shifted inside to do some tagging with Hugh and Levi taking up the slack on the wing.

Last quarter Sam Marshall came on and spent some time on the wing and I assume Levi was shifted back to the forward line to replace Cal being subbed off.

 

[ZoBlitz]

So mainly a Bailey-Berry-Ashcroft wing setup apart from late in third when Dunkley was there for some reason and after Lohmann was subbed and Tunstill was on the same wing for eight attendances in a row which I'm sure is a world record (or something)!

Dunkley also had less CBAs as part of that shuffling around. Checking what I've recorded in the last couple of seasons, we've managed 6 centre clearances in a quarter multiple times but we've only done better than that once which was 8 in the second quarter of our game against Adelaide from round 17 last year.

 

[KissKiss]

That's a fair departure from our normal numbers. Neale and Oscar both over 90%, Dunkley at 50% and Rayner way up at 25%!

Would be interesting to know what changed to lead to those numbers. A Lohman sub wouldnt force that sort of centre shuffle. Assume it was more a comfortable win so could give Dunkey more of a rest. But weird to put such big numbers on Neale and Oscar

 

[M Malice]

That's a fair departure from our normal numbers. Neale and Oscar both over 90%, Dunkley at 50% and Rayner way up at 25%!

Would be interesting to know what changed to lead to those numbers. A Lohman sub wouldnt force that sort of centre shuffle. Assume it was more a comfortable win so could give Dunkey more of a rest. But weird to put such big numbers on Neale and Oscar

How bloody good was Rayner in the first quarter v the Saints, sensational, I don't think he will ever be a full time mid but if we can utilise him for patches throughout the game like that he is a dead set game breaker.

Danster would have been ****-a-hoop with Cam's performance.

 

[Nathan Barley]

How bloody good was Rayner in the first quarter v the Saints, sensational, I don't think he will ever be a full time mid but if we can utilise him for patches throughout the game like that he is a dead set game breaker.

Danster would have been ****-a-hoop with Cam's performance.

Seemed to be a lot of starting at half forward and coming in to contest the clearance. Like the intercept that led to Hippys second goal IIRC

 

[Cockliff38]

Watching the Dunkley wing stuff live it seemed to be late in the quarter when they were trying to kill a bit of clock, and they were attempting to get him or Berry as the extra in defence. The extra in defence has typically been a role for Cal, but he was perhaps committed to running with Sinclair.

 

[Nathan Barley]

They also went quick in the midfield with NWM moved in there. Wasn't a really good matchup

Dunks will take Rowell this week at clearances so probably won't miss many centre bounces

 

[KissKiss]

Seemed to be a lot of starting at half forward and coming in to contest the clearance. Like the intercept that led to Hippys second goal IIRC

There is some definite fixed plans about someone running forward and back from the 50s to the contest.

I also noticed on the weekend that when there is a secondary stoppage how we set up changes too. I think I saw multiple times where Levi was on the wing for the centre bounce. Then at the next stoppage he would position directly behind the stoppage and look to block the space or charge in, while one of the back flankers (Fletcher or Wilmot?) would move round to sort of the wider wing spot but still on the back side of the contest. The other winger would hold the wider traditional wing spot