Question about contested and uncontested disposals

[Richo83]

This has been bugging me for a while, can anyone tell me the difference between disposal and possession? I ask this because I've noticed that often, the amount of uncontested and contested disposals doesn't add up to the number of disposals a player has. Sometimes it's more, sometimes it's less.

According to the afl.com.au stats page, Brandon Ellis averages 26.4 disposals a game. He also averages 6.7 contested possessions and 18.5 uncontested possessions. That means he averages 25.2 possessions a game. However according to afl tables, he had 12 contested and 22 uncontested possessions against GWS in round 10 yet only had 31 disposals. Overall he averages less possessions than disposals, but in some games he got more possessions than disposals. They usually add to about the same, but not always. Can anyone clear this up for me?

 

[tangolikelama]

 

[Quivorir]

Possession is getting the ball and not disposing of it, so being tackled and forcing a ball up.

Disposal is getting the kick/handball away.

Thats how I see it anyway.

 

[MarcusP2]

Champion_Data

 

[wcesam]

It is obvious by the name of each one, i.e. you can possess the ball but not dispose of it, getting caught in a tackle or dropping the ball etc.

However you make a fair point that disposals shouldn't be higher than possessions. Unless you're talking about kicks off the ground or something which aren't all that common anyway.

 

[Hawker55]

what's the definition of a 'clanger' ?

 

[Champion_Data]

This has been bugging me for a while, can anyone tell me the difference between disposal and possession? I ask this because I've noticed that often, the amount of uncontested and contested disposals doesn't add up to the number of disposals a player has. Sometimes it's more, sometimes it's less.

According to the afl.com.au stats page, Brandon Ellis averages 26.4 disposals a game. He also averages 6.7 contested possessions and 18.5 uncontested possessions. That means he averages 25.2 possessions a game. However according to afl tables, he had 12 contested and 22 uncontested possessions against GWS in round 10 yet only had 31 disposals. Overall he averages less possessions than disposals, but in some games he got more possessions than disposals. They usually add to about the same, but not always. Can anyone clear this up for me?

Examples of a player getting a possession without a disposal:

• Mark the ball and the siren goes before you get a kick/handball
• Win a possession, take on a defender and get done for holding the ball
• Win possession of the ball, try to take a bounce but stuff it up

Examples of a player getting a disposal without a possession:

• Disposals after a kick-in to self
• Boundary kick-ins after an opposition out on the full
• Ground Kicks
• Taking advantage after a free kick has been paid to a teammate.