The debate was reignited at the weekend when Jude Bolton recorded an astonishing 19 tackles against West Coast, the highest figure since Champion Data began taking stats in 1999.
Given that the numbers of tackles has soared over the past decade, it's likely that Bolton holds the VFL/AFL record. The next best is the 16 tackles laid by Jared Brennan (against Essendon late in 2009) and Jimmy Bartel (against St Kilda in the 2009 Grand Final).
As a comparison with another era, Tony Liberatore was considered a tackling machine during his career in the 1990s and his highest tackle count in a game was 11. According to figures obtained by Champion Data, he recorded this four times.
It's also noteworthy about the Sydney Swans' performance against the Eagles that Kieren Jack had 12 tackles and Scott Mumford had 10. The second-ranked players behind Bolton this season have had 13.
As for the team tackle counts, the Swans defeated the Eagles by a whopping 111-69 (see table). And yet they sewed up victory only late in the last quarter.
In their previous games this season, the Swans had an appreciable victory in tackles against Melbourne (80-59) and drew. In round two, the Swans had a handsome victory over Essendon in the tackle count (86-61) and yet won by only five points.
A glance at figures in other games from round three confirms the view that tackle count is a poor indicator of success. Of the eight victors, only four of those teams won the tackle count.
The most galling figure is that Port Adelaide had more tackles than Geelong. The Power were widely considered to be insipid during their hefty loss at Skilled Stadium.
Port's tally from Sunday, however, is not an anomaly.
Over the three rounds this season, the Swans have the highest average tackle count, with 92. The Power are second with 72, followed by Collingwood with 70.
The Power's figures support the main theory as to why tackle count is a poor indicator of success. The theory is that you tackle because you haven't got the ball.
The Power have laid many tackles because they've rarely had possession.
The Swans, on the other hand, have a high tackle count because they seek to reduce the game to a series of stoppages. Collingwood is third on the list because of its forward press, the tactic that paved the way for its premiership last season.
Just as tackling is an unreliable guide, so too is contested possession. The Eagles won the count against the Swans 145-143.
The interesting part of this stat is the breakdown of the Swans' figure. Of their tally of contested possessions, 49 were gained in defence, 90 in the midfield and only four in the forward 50.
The forward press is clearly not in the Swans' thinking. At a glance, the Swans are playing the game that earned success in 2005 and '06, when midfield stoppages were king.
Champion Data uses quarter-by-quarter figures when assessing portents of victory. In the three rounds this season, the team that has won more tackle counts in quarters has gone on to win only 54 per cent of the time.
The better indicator of success is when you add tackle count to contested possession. In the three rounds this season, the team that has won more quarters of this double-whammy stat has gone on to victory 85 per cent of the time.
So, on this season's figures there's little support for tackle counts as an indicator of victory. Perhaps, however, the tone set by Bolton had something to do with his team's success.
Round three tackle counts
Collingwood 55-Carlton 56 - Collingwood won match
Western Bulldogs 51-Gold Coast 56 - Western Bulldogs won match
Adelaide 52-Fremantle 68 - Fremantle won match
West Coast 69-Sydney Swans 111 - Swans won match
Richmond 75-Hawthorn 88 - Hawthorn won match
Melbourne 58-Brisbane Lions 67 - Melbourne won match
Geelong 55-Port Adelaide 58 - Geelong won match
St Kilda 58-Essendon 66 - Essendon won match
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs
