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After reading about the moneyball theory and observing how our recruiters go about their business in the draft, could it be that our recruiters are using the same technique that many baseball clubs are now using in order to win games and ultimately championships.
For those who are unaware of what the theory entails, in basic terms, you get players who are unwanted or on the cheap that have statistics to show that they are capable of filling a position on your team, then you sell them for a profit (however I know that is not how the AFL runs things). For example (in baseball) a player may get a lot of base hits, but his attitude may stink, a team who needs players who get base hits picks him up on the cheap, molds them into a good player with a better attitude, while increasing their base hit stats and perhaps sell him on for a profit.
In the AFL, teams may look for stats like possessions per game, clearances, speed and hitting targets and marks and goals.
Three examples I can think off the top of my head are Josh Kennedy, Lewis Jetta and Mitch Morton (potentially).
Now, before we got Kennedy, it was noticeable, in some games, that our clearances were not as competitive as they are now. For a while we only had mostly Jude getting in and under trying to clear the ball, after Kirky's retirement. It is possible that our recruiters saw this as an area we needed to strengthen and went for what turned out to be one of the trades of the season in Josh Kennedy, which ultimately upped our clearances. Moneyball theory at work perhaps?
With Lewis Jetta it was simple, our side lacked speed and after missing out on Cyril Rioli, I think, we went for the next best option, one of the fastest, if not the fastest (after seeing him run down dangerfield) player in the game. Together with his stats for field kicking, which I assume must've been high, given the amount of times he hits the target, he was almost the complete player. It is possible that our recruiters focused on those stats in particular when looking for a wide running midfield player.
Lastly, Mitch Morton is player with huge wraps on him as a forward, bar his defensive work. Many of you would agree, that since Barry Hall and perhaps Bradshaw (though he was patchy as well on occassion) we have really lacked a strong KP forward who can mark and kick and bag on any given day. Morton was unwanted at Richmond, due to, I assume, attitude, however, perhaps our recruiters disregarded his defensive weaknesses and focused on the stats that mattered as a forward and that is the ability to mark and kick goals. The defensive side will come for Morton if he wants it enough and I think he showed us glimpses of what he can do.
Anyway, sorry for the long post, just thought it might be an interesting topic, its very exciting to see our new crop of "recycled" players and young guns come through playing with the bloods spirit and we can be assured that our recruiters know what they are looking for.
For those who are unaware of what the theory entails, in basic terms, you get players who are unwanted or on the cheap that have statistics to show that they are capable of filling a position on your team, then you sell them for a profit (however I know that is not how the AFL runs things). For example (in baseball) a player may get a lot of base hits, but his attitude may stink, a team who needs players who get base hits picks him up on the cheap, molds them into a good player with a better attitude, while increasing their base hit stats and perhaps sell him on for a profit.
In the AFL, teams may look for stats like possessions per game, clearances, speed and hitting targets and marks and goals.
Three examples I can think off the top of my head are Josh Kennedy, Lewis Jetta and Mitch Morton (potentially).
Now, before we got Kennedy, it was noticeable, in some games, that our clearances were not as competitive as they are now. For a while we only had mostly Jude getting in and under trying to clear the ball, after Kirky's retirement. It is possible that our recruiters saw this as an area we needed to strengthen and went for what turned out to be one of the trades of the season in Josh Kennedy, which ultimately upped our clearances. Moneyball theory at work perhaps?
With Lewis Jetta it was simple, our side lacked speed and after missing out on Cyril Rioli, I think, we went for the next best option, one of the fastest, if not the fastest (after seeing him run down dangerfield) player in the game. Together with his stats for field kicking, which I assume must've been high, given the amount of times he hits the target, he was almost the complete player. It is possible that our recruiters focused on those stats in particular when looking for a wide running midfield player.
Lastly, Mitch Morton is player with huge wraps on him as a forward, bar his defensive work. Many of you would agree, that since Barry Hall and perhaps Bradshaw (though he was patchy as well on occassion) we have really lacked a strong KP forward who can mark and kick and bag on any given day. Morton was unwanted at Richmond, due to, I assume, attitude, however, perhaps our recruiters disregarded his defensive weaknesses and focused on the stats that mattered as a forward and that is the ability to mark and kick goals. The defensive side will come for Morton if he wants it enough and I think he showed us glimpses of what he can do.
Anyway, sorry for the long post, just thought it might be an interesting topic, its very exciting to see our new crop of "recycled" players and young guns come through playing with the bloods spirit and we can be assured that our recruiters know what they are looking for.
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