
While taking stats for a friendly footy game that me and my mates played via video tape, I realised just how complicated it can get! Even though a previous year's "Prospectus" had the definitions of all of Champion Data's stats and how they are recorded, there seems to be a lot of grey areas that I'm unsure on.
I actually take stats for basketball as a side job, so I have a general idea on how it works. They're supposed to be as black & white as possible, with minimal judgement being left to make by the statistician (e.g. if a player passes to a teammate, and the pass goes through his hands, the statistician can judge that the receiving player should've caught the ball and can award the turnover to him).
But in football, it's not really as simple. If anyone can help me out, I'd like to have the following clarified:
> Effective kicks/handballs - are these based purely on the disposal itself, or are they dependant on the result? (e.g. kicking to the advantage of teammates but getting a bad bounce, kicking poorly but getting a good bounce, handballing accurately but the receiving player doesnt catch it, shots at goal that result in behinds, handballing to yourself - does it even count??)
> Tackles - I was under the impression that only 1 tackle could be awarded per play, but once I saw a gang tackle award 3 players with a tackle! Should it just be given to the player that tackled first?
> Rebound 50s - do players who kick long from a kick-in get a rebound 50? What about the player he kicked to (guy standing in the back pocket recieves the kick-in, then kicks long). Or is there no rebound 50 because the other team registered a score?
> Clangers - some general info on clangers would help, e.g. different types of clangers? Clangers from kick-ins?
> Hard ball/loose ball gets - general clarification (both are classified as contested possessions). Is a loose ball get awarded EVERY time that the player picks the ball up from the ground, or just when it has come out of a contested situation (I assumed the latter)? What about crumbing marking contests? Is a hard ball get awarded if a player wins the ball from ANY contested situation (e.g. marking contest where there is physical pressure on the player, and even though he doesn't take the mark because the defender got first hands on it he gains possession?) - technically it's a contested possession?
> Clearances - I understand clearances, but what if there's a free kick on the play (e.g. ruck contest or someone holding off the ball), does the free kick receiver get awarded the clearance (I assumed they did)?
Can anyone can help out with me getting a clearer view on some of the things mentioned? Perhaps someone with a newer version of the Prospectus (I'm guessing they would have definitions at the back like they did in the one I had, mine was 2006)
Also, just for additional info, the stats I take include disposals + their effectiveness, marks, contested marks, hard ball/loose ball gets, handball receives, inside/rebound 50s, tackles, frees for/against, hit outs, hit outs to advantage, clearances, goals/behinds (this way I can calculate both DT and SC scores
)
Cheers guys
EDIT: and on a side-note, does anyone know of any free & GOOD stat taking software? I'm just using a highly advanced excel spreadsheet atm
(it actually is pretty damn good I think, it automatically inputs the stats into tables similar to those seen in the Herald Sun!!
)
I actually take stats for basketball as a side job, so I have a general idea on how it works. They're supposed to be as black & white as possible, with minimal judgement being left to make by the statistician (e.g. if a player passes to a teammate, and the pass goes through his hands, the statistician can judge that the receiving player should've caught the ball and can award the turnover to him).
But in football, it's not really as simple. If anyone can help me out, I'd like to have the following clarified:
> Effective kicks/handballs - are these based purely on the disposal itself, or are they dependant on the result? (e.g. kicking to the advantage of teammates but getting a bad bounce, kicking poorly but getting a good bounce, handballing accurately but the receiving player doesnt catch it, shots at goal that result in behinds, handballing to yourself - does it even count??)
> Tackles - I was under the impression that only 1 tackle could be awarded per play, but once I saw a gang tackle award 3 players with a tackle! Should it just be given to the player that tackled first?
> Rebound 50s - do players who kick long from a kick-in get a rebound 50? What about the player he kicked to (guy standing in the back pocket recieves the kick-in, then kicks long). Or is there no rebound 50 because the other team registered a score?
> Clangers - some general info on clangers would help, e.g. different types of clangers? Clangers from kick-ins?
> Hard ball/loose ball gets - general clarification (both are classified as contested possessions). Is a loose ball get awarded EVERY time that the player picks the ball up from the ground, or just when it has come out of a contested situation (I assumed the latter)? What about crumbing marking contests? Is a hard ball get awarded if a player wins the ball from ANY contested situation (e.g. marking contest where there is physical pressure on the player, and even though he doesn't take the mark because the defender got first hands on it he gains possession?) - technically it's a contested possession?
> Clearances - I understand clearances, but what if there's a free kick on the play (e.g. ruck contest or someone holding off the ball), does the free kick receiver get awarded the clearance (I assumed they did)?
Can anyone can help out with me getting a clearer view on some of the things mentioned? Perhaps someone with a newer version of the Prospectus (I'm guessing they would have definitions at the back like they did in the one I had, mine was 2006)
Also, just for additional info, the stats I take include disposals + their effectiveness, marks, contested marks, hard ball/loose ball gets, handball receives, inside/rebound 50s, tackles, frees for/against, hit outs, hit outs to advantage, clearances, goals/behinds (this way I can calculate both DT and SC scores
Cheers guys
EDIT: and on a side-note, does anyone know of any free & GOOD stat taking software? I'm just using a highly advanced excel spreadsheet atm
(it actually is pretty damn good I think, it automatically inputs the stats into tables similar to those seen in the Herald Sun!!
