See some of the best stats from NAB League Boys Round 8, including huge numbers from a trio of Western Jets rebounding defenders and a Northern Knights ball-winner who thrives on the contest.
THREE KEYS TO VICTORY
- The Western Jets restricted the Geelong Falcons to a score of just 2.10 (22) in a 28-point victory, with a trio of defensive runners just about monopolising the ball inside Geelong’s forward 50. Western’s Darcy Cassar (round-highs of 41 disposals and 12 marks as well as eight rebound-50s), Lucas Rocci (28, 11 marks and seven rebound-50s) and Daly Andrews (31, 10 marks and five rebound-50s) consistently prevented the Falcons from getting their hands on the ball in dangerous attacking positions.
- Despite conceding four more inside-50s to the GWV Rebels, the Gippsland Power recorded a 53-point win thanks to their superior potency in attack. GWV’s pressure helped it generate 49 forward-line entries to 45, but the Rebels didn’t have an answer for the class of Power game-breakers like Fraser Phillips, who generated a team-high six inside-50s, booted 2.3 and had four score assists from 24 disposals to create a big impact on the scoreboard.
- A look at the stats might make one ask how the Dandenong Stingrays managed to pip the Tasmania Devils by four points. The Stingrays lost the counts for disposals (by 50), marks (eight), contested possessions (13), uncontested possessions (40), tackles (10), clearances (four) and inside-50s (three), but Dandenong ruck Bailey Schmidt was undoubtedly a key factor in their favour. The 201cm 19-year-old recorded 14 touches, five clearances and 42 hitouts – helping his team win the latter category by 33.
TOP FIVE STATS OF THE WEEK
- The Murray Bushrangers may have suffered a 50-point loss at the hands of the Calder Cannons, but Cameron Wild’s individual performance provided a rare bright spot. The former Northern Knights midfielder won 27 disposals – 11 more than any teammate – as well as a team-high six clearances.
- 194cm Western Jets 19-year-old Aaron Clarke was dominant in the air during a win against the Geelong Falcons, pulling down a round-high five contested marks among nine total grabs to add to his two goals from 14 disposals. Another Clarke was second on the table for contested marks in Round 8, with Bendigo’s Riley Clarke taking four.
- Josh Smith certainly imposed himself on contests in the Gippsland Power’s defeat of the GWV Rebels, producing an impressive stat line for a 194cm forward pinch-hitting in the ruck. The top-ager recorded 22 disposals, 16 hitouts and game-highs of 16 contested possessions, 11 clearances and three goals in a complete performance.
- The Bendigo Pioneers’ remarkable efficiency inside 50 kept them within four points of the victorious Sandringham Dragons. The Pioneers generated half the scoring shots of Sandringham (14 to 28) and less than half the number of inside-50s (24 to 54) but kicked a goal once every two times they entered their forward line – an elite ratio.
- The Oakleigh Chargers’ six-point triumph over the Northern Knights was an intense affair, with only 18 fewer contested possessions than uncontested possessions recorded by the teams in total. Northern’s Sam Philp (pictured) thrived in this environment, recording a round-high 19 contested possessions among his game-high 28 disposals.
ROUND 8 STATS LEADERS
DISPOSALS (41): Darcy Cassar (Western Jets)
KICKS (23): Darcy Cassar (Western Jets)
HANDBALLS (20): Ryan Byrnes (Sandringham Dragons) and Fraser Elliot (Oakleigh Chargers)
MARKS (12): Darcy Cassar (Western Jets)
TACKLES (10): Trent Bianco (Oakleigh Chargers)
CLEARANCES (11): Josh Smith (Gippsland Power)
CONTESTED POSSESSIONS (19): Sam Philp (Northern Knights)
UNCONTESTED POSSESSIONS (24): Darcy Cassar (Western Jets)
INSIDE-50s (9): Oliver Davis (Tasmania Devils)
REBOUND-50s (11): Brock Smith (Gippsland Power)
HITOUTS (42): Bailey Schmidt (Dandenong Stingrays) and Jacob Woodfull (Oakleigh Chargers)
GOALS (3): Jake Dick-O’Flaherty (Bendigo Pioneers), Francis Evans (Calder Cannons), Clayton Gay (Dandenong Stingrays), Fergus Macdonald (GWV Rebels), Jeremy O’Sullivan (Calder Cannons), Josh Smith (Gippsland Power), Josh Treacy (Bendigo Pioneers) and Cameron Wilson (Murray Bushrangers)
