OK, I've done a bit of analysis on some statistics, and worked out which players are getting the ball the most WHILE ON THE GROUND. I've only included players that could be conceivably considered midfielders as at least a partial role (so I've included Bevan, Malceski, Mattner, Kennelly, Moore and O'Keefe, for example), and have played multiple games this year in the seniors. This is what I found:
In order from highest (possessions/percentage time on ground) x 100 (which is how many possessions a game a player would average if they played every minute of every game) to lowest:
Surprises:
Craig Bird. Fitness is clearly an issue for the 19 year old, but that's understandable at his age. This table shows that he has tremendous ball winning ability. When on the field, he finds the ball at the sixth highest rate of all Swans midfielders/midfield types (and he is within 0.3 of fourth). For a guy in his first year, that is top notch.
Luke Ablett: In the same boat as Bird. Clearly, can win plenty of the ball when on the ground, not something he is given credit for. He just isn't on the ground enough. Fitness again?
Amon Buchanan: See Bird and Ablett. Ball use is another issue as well though.
Tadgh Kennelly: People have been saying he's had an average year, and it isn't without some justification, but one thing you can't fault this year is his ball winning ability. I was very surprised.
Nick Malceski: See Kennelly.
Adam Goodes: Doesn't seem to be the ball magnet we all thought he was. Wins a few possessions, but spends a LOT of time on the ground. Not that that's a bad thing, it just goes to show how much he relies on his fitness (a perfectly legitimate quality) to play as well as he does.
Thoughts? Opinions? Personally, I think it's exciting that Bird is showing so much ball winning ability. Fitness can be developed relatively easily, but an instinct for finding the ball? Not so much.
It is also interesting to see just how much of a difference fitness makes to how much a player can effect a game. Look at Luke Ablett, for example. He could be a star if he was fitter.
In order from highest (possessions/percentage time on ground) x 100 (which is how many possessions a game a player would average if they played every minute of every game) to lowest:
Surprises:
Craig Bird. Fitness is clearly an issue for the 19 year old, but that's understandable at his age. This table shows that he has tremendous ball winning ability. When on the field, he finds the ball at the sixth highest rate of all Swans midfielders/midfield types (and he is within 0.3 of fourth). For a guy in his first year, that is top notch.
Luke Ablett: In the same boat as Bird. Clearly, can win plenty of the ball when on the ground, not something he is given credit for. He just isn't on the ground enough. Fitness again?
Amon Buchanan: See Bird and Ablett. Ball use is another issue as well though.
Tadgh Kennelly: People have been saying he's had an average year, and it isn't without some justification, but one thing you can't fault this year is his ball winning ability. I was very surprised.
Nick Malceski: See Kennelly.
Adam Goodes: Doesn't seem to be the ball magnet we all thought he was. Wins a few possessions, but spends a LOT of time on the ground. Not that that's a bad thing, it just goes to show how much he relies on his fitness (a perfectly legitimate quality) to play as well as he does.
Thoughts? Opinions? Personally, I think it's exciting that Bird is showing so much ball winning ability. Fitness can be developed relatively easily, but an instinct for finding the ball? Not so much.
It is also interesting to see just how much of a difference fitness makes to how much a player can effect a game. Look at Luke Ablett, for example. He could be a star if he was fitter.
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