inside 50 differential - awesome

[iamjason]

From http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/98503/default.aspx - fantastic article.

Average inside 50 differential - rounds 11 to 16
Adelaide 16.2
St Kilda 11.2
Collingwood 11.2
Hawthorn 9.7
Western Bulldogs 7.0
Carlton 6.3
North Melbourne 3.0
Geelong 2.8
Richmond 2.0
Sydney 1.7
Fremantle -6.3
Port Adelaide -7.3
Essendon -11.8
West Coast -12.7
Melbourne -16.3
Brisbane -16.5

As you can see, we are top of the competition in the inside 50 differential since the break. And by a significant margin too. It appears if we focused on one thing over the break, it was this so-called "frontal pressure" -- keeping the ball locked in our forward half. Now, somehow, with our forward line full of kids, we are the best in the competition at it.

Just watching the games I had noticed a significant improvement in forward 50 pressure and re-entries, but I didn't expect us to be top of the comp.

Obviously, this is very, very promising stuff. But is it too little, too late, and will it continue? Anybody got a crystal ball? I can't wait 'till Sunday.

 

[Macjoe]

This inside 50 differential is more to do with midfield pressure than frontal pressure - moving the ball inside 50 quickly from clearances and from defence; we are doing that more now. Then our frontal pressure tries to keep it there (and that is working well, too).

And if it does come out our offensive zone works hard to send the ball back inside 50 quickly.

Fantastic that we are doing it so much better than anyone else recently.

And fabulous that this has been noticed and commented on in the AFL website.

 

[iamjason]

This inside 50 differential is more to do with midfield pressure than frontal pressure - moving the ball inside 50 quickly from clearances and from defence; we are doing that more now. Then our frontal pressure tries to keep it there (and that is working well, too).

Perhaps it's the midfield, but whatever is causing it, I just want it to continue! Watching the ball locked in our half of the ground against Geelong, with its coveted and more experienced defence, long periods was brilliant. The next step is to convert more inside 50's to goals, and to reduce those against-the-tide goals where the opposition rapidly moves the ball over our zone and scores without much pressure (West Coast game).

 

[oldcrowgirl]

From http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/98503/default.aspx - fantastic article.

As you can see, we are top of the competition in the inside 50 differential since the break. And by a significant margin too. It appears if we focused on one thing over the break, it was this so-called "frontal pressure" -- keeping the ball locked in our forward half. Now, somehow, with our forward line full of kids, we are the best in the competition at it.

I think that this is the most interesting article I've read about the dramatic turnaround the the Crows form since the break. Impressive stat. Of course the esteemed 'rooch couldn't/wouldn't be on the ball sufficiently on the ball to be aware of this.

 

[beartoo]

great that we are number 1 in this stat, but I'd like to see more goals scored for the amount of entries. It's odd that we kick seemingly impossible goals at times and still miss simple shots from 25--35 out dead in front.
I suppose it comes from being a young and inexperienced side to some extent.
Sloane to give set-shot instruction this week?

 

[Schulzycrow]

Dont be too harsh on Rory, the two he did nail were clutch goals. Tipp, Radar and Stiff should have converted their chances better, but that will come.
Hopefully next week.

 

[smoovy]

great that we are number 1 in this stat, but I'd like to see more goals scored for the amount of entries. It's odd that we kick seemingly impossible goals at times and still miss simple shots from 25--35 out dead in front.
I suppose it comes from being a young and inexperienced side to some extent.
Sloane to give set-shot instruction this week?

Apart from Friday which was low scoring mainly because of the pressure. We have generated just about 30+ scoring shots each of the previous 3 weeks. Very rarely will you lose when you have that many shots.

Also I don't know if it is just me, but we seem to have quite a few pings at the sticks that fail to register a score at all.

 

[beartoo]

Dont be too harsh on Rory, the two he did nail were clutch goals. Tipp, Radar and Stiff should have converted their chances better, but that will come.
Hopefully next week.

Sorry, you got me wrong. I thought Rory's two goals were outstanding set shots. pressure goals from a kid--the future is bright for him. Future Brownlow medalist.

 

[beartoo]

Also I don't know if it is just me, but we seem to have quite a few pings at the sticks that fail to register a score at all.

Yeah, we do.
Another thing, has anyone noticed how many shots from all teams fail to make the difference from 40 to 50 out late in the game? The atmosphere must get heavier as the night wears on. Any physicists out there?

 

[smoovy]

Yeah, we do.
Another thing, has anyone noticed how many shots from all teams fail to make the difference from 40 to 50 out late in the game? The atmosphere must get heavier as the night wears on. Any physicists out there?

Pretty much answered your own question. It wasn't as bad Friday night as it was after halftime against Essendon where it was like they were kicking a bag of wheat.

If it is a cold, still and clear day you can bank on it being slippery at AAMI. Better off having a slight breeze. Thats it for the night games though. Just two for the year.

 

[King Elvis]

Porps taught Rory how to kick

Good stat - the zone works!

 

[rayven]

We are forcing teams in to pockets and flanks, from there our zone can close up and choke em as it leaves less ground needing to be covered. We are very very disiplined in our zone, the last 3 weeks watching players go about and it rolling forward or back has been impressive. The moment we get a turn over we are looking for sweeping hand ball or short kick to someone not under pressure which normaly results in a long kick to our forwards! Hence big inside 50 numbers!
Its no rocket science, what is is getting each player to understand his role and the various connatations for different eventualities depending on how the oppisition react!.

 

[cmndstab]

The Geelong match was an enormous tick for our zone in the sense that it showed that even a great side like Geelong can be pressured into errors by it. In the past we've had a habit of forcing weaker sides to break down, but have been sliced up by the fast, skillful sides.

I think the big difference now is that in addition to a really well disciplined zone in the midfield, we've got legitimate pressure up forward. Hendo and Jaenschy are running around scaring the shit out of defenders who have been held up already by the zone, and instead of being able to pick out a lead-up option at will, they're forced to rush the kick. Geelong are super-skillful, but even they were broken down from time to time Great signs.

 

[Crow-mo]

inside 50 differential (as I have written previously) is arguably the no.1 predictive stat of a teams form.

for example, we lead the league in 2005/2006.

the best teams in a given year will have the highest differential in inside 50, and be at the bottom of rebound 50.

that 11-16 stat perhaps indicates our form has been better than we realised.

 

[amer]

inside 50 differential (as I have written previously) is arguably the no.1 predictive stat of a teams form.

for example, we lead the league in 2005/2006.

the best teams in a given year will have the highest differential in inside 50, and be at the bottom of rebound 50.

that 11-16 stat perhaps indicates our form has been better than we realised.

Than you realised perhaps, but it's a quality point. Striking turnaround - a noticeable shift from game to game has been in our propensity to opt for the quick kick forward rather than attempting to systematically clear the ball by hand, ending with an attempted forward spot-up. So frequently in recent years we've gotten first hands to the ball before turning it over mid-clearance.

 

[sbenno]

That's a great stat that shows we're doing well as a team, but it is a little worrying.

For example, if we get inside 50 (on average) 16 times more than the opposition, why aren't we beating sides by more?

This stat would look interesting next to a "average scoring shots for and against per game" (I don't know if such a stat exists) to check how efficient our forward line is, and my guess is that it would be pretty inefficient.

 

[Vader]

That's a great stat that shows we're doing well as a team, but it is a little worrying.

For example, if we get inside 50 (on average) 16 times more than the opposition, why aren't we beating sides by more?

This stat would look interesting next to a "average scoring shots for and against per game" (I don't know if such a stat exists) to check how efficient our forward line is, and my guess is that it would be pretty inefficient.

2 of those wins were by 44 points and 84 points.

It's also worth noting that the reason we have so many I50s is because we are able to lock the ball into our half of the ground. The opposition rebound it out of our F50, but we send it straight back in again - and repeat until a score is achieved.

 

[spexau]

2 of those wins were by 44 points and 84 points.

It's also worth noting that the reason we have so many I50s is because we are able to lock the ball into our half of the ground. The opposition rebound it out of our F50, but we send it straight back in again - and repeat until a score is achieved.

Exactly. That and they rebound it a bit easier when we pump it straight back in because the opposition usually has so many midfielders clogging up space. It's just the game plan.

 

[Crow-mo]

Than you realised perhaps, but it's a quality point.

ah yes, the broken clock of optimism.

Striking turnaround - a noticeable shift from game to game has been in our propensity to opt for the quick kick forward rather than attempting to systematically clear the ball by hand, ending with an attempted forward spot-up. So frequently in recent years we've gotten first hands to the ball before turning it over mid-clearance.

that should be easily provable, as first possession is measured as well as the actual clearance...

 

[smoovy]

2 of those wins were by 44 points and 84 points.

It's also worth noting that the reason we have so many I50s is because we are able to lock the ball into our half of the ground. The opposition rebound it out of our F50, but we send it straight back in again - and repeat until a score is achieved.

I inside 50 stats, ****ing love them.

Vader I agree with the above, that is one reason, but I also think the other reason is that we are having less stoppages around the game (or so it seems). Earlier in the year I made a post about how our games were generating extremely low combined inside 50 totals. It would often be something like 42-40 and in our favour too. It was really strange football at the start of the year and I'm not sure whether its just Neil Craig changing or the style of play overall changing.

I know one thing we did do is stop trying to handball our way out of stoppage clearances, and our set up seems to be better the next kick down the ground from a stoppage.