Centre square participation statistics

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Sewell Rules

Senior List
Oct 8, 2012
191
50
AFL Club
Hawthorn
I was wondering if there was a statistic kept (and if so where to access it) about the amount of centre bounces each player participates in.

For example, I imagine that Sam Mitchell is one of Hawthorn's four players in the centre square 70-80 of the time, but I wonder how often Shaun Burgoyne is in there for the centre bounce, or Rioli. If this is not a statistic currently kept then I think it could be quite a valuable one.
 

Champion_Data

Senior List
Jan 31, 2012
160
544
Melbourne
I was wondering if there was a statistic kept (and if so where to access it) about the amount of centre bounces each player participates in.

For example, I imagine that Sam Mitchell is one of Hawthorn's four players in the centre square 70-80 of the time, but I wonder how often Shaun Burgoyne is in there for the centre bounce, or Rioli. If this is not a statistic currently kept then I think it could be quite a valuable one.

Indeed it is recorded.

Hathorn's top-10 (min 5 games):

|% Involved|Player|Clearance Diff.
\1|75%|S.Mitchell|+5.3%
\2|69%|B.Sewell|+7.2%
\3|57%|D.Hale|+9.3%
\4|52%|J.Lewis|+8.1%
\5|36%|J.Roughead|+7.4%
\6|31%|L.Shiels|+9.7%
\7|27%|B.Whitecross|0.0%
\8|26%|C.Rioli|+16.0%
\9|18%|S.Burgoyne|+10.7%
\10|15%|L.Hodge|+19.2%
 

Sewell Rules

Senior List
Oct 8, 2012
191
50
AFL Club
Hawthorn
Indeed it is recorded.

Hathorn's top-10 (min 5 games):

|% Involved|Player|Clearance Diff.
\1|75%|S.Mitchell|+5.3%
\2|69%|B.Sewell|+7.2%
\3|57%|D.Hale|+9.3%
\4|52%|J.Lewis|+8.1%
\5|36%|J.Roughead|+7.4%
\6|31%|L.Shiels|+9.7%
\7|27%|B.Whitecross|0.0%
\8|26%|C.Rioli|+16.0%
\9|18%|S.Burgoyne|+10.7%
\10|15%|L.Hodge|+19.2%

Brilliant. Thanks a lot. Is there any website with these statistics for each team?
 

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Lensen

You've ruined the act, GOB
Feb 23, 2003
15,030
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Collingwood
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Indeed it is recorded.

Hathorn's top-10 (min 5 games):

|% Involved|Player|Clearance Diff.
\1|75%|S.Mitchell|+5.3%
\2|69%|B.Sewell|+7.2%
\3|57%|D.Hale|+9.3%
\4|52%|J.Lewis|+8.1%
\5|36%|J.Roughead|+7.4%
\6|31%|L.Shiels|+9.7%
\7|27%|B.Whitecross|0.0%
\8|26%|C.Rioli|+16.0%
\9|18%|S.Burgoyne|+10.7%
\10|15%|L.Hodge|+19.2%
I'm confused as to how all of them can have a positive clearance differential? Doesn't intuitively seem to make sense?
 

Sewell Rules

Senior List
Oct 8, 2012
191
50
AFL Club
Hawthorn
I'm confused as to how all of them can have a positive clearance differential? Doesn't intuitively seem to make sense?

I was thinking that at first too, but then I realised that Hawthorn would have a positive clearance differential overall compared to their opposition over the course of the season, so when you factor that in it makes sense. I bet all Melbourne's midfielders have a minus differential.
 

Lensen

You've ruined the act, GOB
Feb 23, 2003
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Brisbane
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I was thinking that at first too, but then I realised that Hawthorn would have a positive clearance differential overall compared to their opposition over the course of the season, so when you factor that in it makes sense. I bet all Melbourne's midfielders have a minus differential.
Ahh yeah, I took it as a differential on a team basis (which, to me, would be the more relevant stat)
 

fairdinkum

Norm Smith Medallist
Oct 22, 2007
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Road to nowhere
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I kept these stats for a few North games back in 2008 (IIRC), just for my own interest.

From memory, things went to s**t every time Petrie was used as the ruckman.

Very important statistic imo.
 

Champion_Data

Senior List
Jan 31, 2012
160
544
Melbourne
I'm confused as to how all of them can have a positive clearance differential? Doesn't intuitively seem to make sense?

They are absolute numbers, not relative to teammates. Hawthorn as a team was +7.7% (ranked 1st).

By comparison the Lions ranked 18th at -7.9%. The best player of their top-10 was Simon Black at -2.9%.
 

Sewell Rules

Senior List
Oct 8, 2012
191
50
AFL Club
Hawthorn
Ahh yeah, I took it as a differential on a team basis (which, to me, would be the more relevant stat)

The players own differential tells you who from your team helps the team win clearances more than other players, I would have thought that is very important. The overall team stats for clearances just tell us about the cause. The differential for the individual players go a long way to explaining the cause. Conclusion = more, if not at least as valuable as the team stats.

And anyway the team stats of who won clearances in each game is widely available.
 

Rourke

Watching the Numbers
Mar 9, 2006
483
592
Melbourne
AFL Club
St Kilda
Indeed it is recorded.

Hathorn's top-10 (min 5 games):

|% Involved|Player|Clearance Diff.
\1|75%|S.Mitchell|+5.3%
\2|69%|B.Sewell|+7.2%
\3|57%|D.Hale|+9.3%
\4|52%|J.Lewis|+8.1%
\5|36%|J.Roughead|+7.4%
\6|31%|L.Shiels|+9.7%
\7|27%|B.Whitecross|0.0%
\8|26%|C.Rioli|+16.0%
\9|18%|S.Burgoyne|+10.7%
\10|15%|L.Hodge|+19.2%

Something is wrong here: these add up to 406%?? Are the Hawks sneaking a fifth player in sometimes? Might explain the outstanding clearance differential ... ;)

Also, if the Hawks usually average 7.7% differential, that would make Mitchell their worst option as when he is not at the centre bounce the club would be getting around +15% by my calculations (25% × 15 + 75% × 5.3 = 7.7 overall). Is that right?
 

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Champion_Data

Senior List
Jan 31, 2012
160
544
Melbourne
Something is wrong here: these add up to 406%?? Are the Hawks sneaking a fifth player in sometimes? Might explain the outstanding clearance differential ... ;)

Also, if the Hawks usually average 7.7% differential, that would make Mitchell their worst option as when he is not at the centre bounce the club would be getting around +15% by my calculations (25% × 15 + 75% × 5.3 = 7.7 overall). Is that right?

Attendance % is only relative to centre bounces in games played, not all of the club's centre bounces, so they won't add up to 400%.

When Sam Mitchell was playing Hawthorn had a clearance differential of +5.3% with him in the square and +10.6% without him in the square.
 

theasian

Team Captain
May 19, 2012
586
568
Colombo
AFL Club
Sydney
interesting
Indeed. He's widely touted as one of the best clearance players.
Though on second thought it may be due to his consistency and endurance.

The players who play in the center square at bursts like Rioli, Hodge and Burgoyne have the highest positive differentials but lack the tank to play full time.
 
Feb 15, 2002
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Indeed. He's widely touted as one of the best clearance players.
Though on second thought it may be due to his consistency and endurance.

The players who play in the center square at bursts like Rioli, Hodge and Burgoyne have the highest positive differentials but lack the tank to play full time.


He is also more likely to go up against the oppositions starting clearance players too, whilst the likes of Rioli as plan B are more likely to be up against plan B.

But it's an interesting stat none the less
 
May 8, 2007
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vic
AFL Club
Richmond
He is also more likely to go up against the oppositions starting clearance players too, whilst the likes of Rioli as plan B are more likely to be up against plan B.

But it's an interesting stat none the less


Indeed. Plan B midfielders and Plan B ruckmen.

It also doesn't factor in whether the clearance resulted in a scrubby grubber kick rolling onto the half-forward flank, or a lace-out pass onto Franklin's chest.
 

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