Metres gained a stat for winners (Age)

[one-eyed]

We don't get a mention probably because we are one of the worst at it

Metres gained a stat for winners
Dan Silkstone | July 16, 2009

IN 2009, a new footy stat is gaining ground and gaining ground is a new footy stat. Football's emerging breed of young coaches is using different statistical measures to value and understand a game that is moving quite differently to even two years ago.

Then, nobody looked at metres gained. It did not exist in AFL football and was a concept associated with codes such as rugby league and American football that are traditionally built around field position.

Australian rules was a game based on ball possession; it measured disposals. Last year, when Champion Data started collecting information on metreage for AFL teams, few took much notice. In 2009, it has seriously caught on.

Around half of the league's 16 teams are paying for the service this year and among them are some of the most innovative and successful of coaching set-ups.

Metres gained measures how far players progress the ball towards their goal, be it by hand, by foot or by running and carrying it.

Only forward movement counts (apart from deep in defence where lateral movement is taken into account if it takes the ball away from the opposition goals).

The new stat is generally attached to another measure — the retention rate — that shows in percentage terms how often a player progresses the ball to a teammate, rather than to the opposition or to a contest and stoppage.

Together, these metrics show who is best at moving the ball, 2009 style.

Full article here:
http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/rfnews/metres-gained-a-stat-for-winners/2009/07/15/1247337167625.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1

[Fishfinger]

We don't get a mention probably because we are one of the worst at it

Probably don't get a mention because the one player we had in the top 10 after 9 rounds was dropped.

[TigerTime]

wasnt joel bowden in the top 2 back then?

[Stripes]

Talking of Joel...where has Tigermonk disappeared to ?!

Happy to see Joel out of the side. His quality footskills and good decision making masked his lack of speed, defensive pressure and old-school (read kick backwards to uncontested players) playing style.

We are a better team without Joel in it.

Stripes

[TigerTime]

Talking of Joel...where has Tigermonk disappeared to ?!

Happy to see Joel out of the side. His quality footskills and good decision making masked his lack of speed, defensive pressure and old-school (read kick backwards to uncontested players) playing style.

We are a better team without Joel in it.

Stripes

monk as had enough of toss bags who dont rate joel so has left the building

ur wrong stripes

joel is a champion and still in our best 5 players.
you are just given b and f's and AA you know
joel is our scapegoat and a quality player and person

[Fishfinger]

His quality footskills and good decision making masked his lack of speed, defensive pressure and old-school (read kick backwards to uncontested players) playing style.

You post that as if it's fact when it's just your blinkered opinion.

When Bowden was dropped after Round 11 he was No. 2 in the league, gaining 5590m for Richmond. Only St Kilda's Leigh Montagna led him. Clubs pay to get this statistic.

It is net metres gained which blows your kicks backwards claim out of the water.

[mightytiges]

Joel was dropped because he is over 30 and will be retiring. So he is not part of next year's plans. He'll probably get a farewell game towards the end of the season (Collingwood game before his testimonial?) but if he can't even be included in our emergencies after being in the bests for Coburg, picking up 33 disposals, then he is clearly not being considered at all in match committee.

[Stripes]

Sorry TigerTime and Fishfinger - just my opinion. Regardless of what I or you think he will be off the list at years end.

In terms of metres gained, I read the article too and defenders kicking across the backline is counted as metres gained regardless of how many chips, switches etc are made. Bowden is the king of this. While I have to give credit where credit is due and say he made attemts to change his game this year, he lost the pace to break the lines and rarely kicked to a contested target. This always slowed down our attack and gave the opposition time to match/zone up.

In reality I he was lucky to be kept on the list this year. If he hadn't of finished off 2/3 games last year with some acts of brilliance or tactical intelligence, he would have never played a game in 2010.

I think he is an intelligent personality who gives a great deal back to the community and who will more than likely become president of the Players Association in the next few years but as a player he needs to make way for the future....and I believe he more than understands this.

Stripes

[Fishfinger]

In terms of metres gained, I read the article too and defenders kicking across the backline is counted as metres gained regardless of how many chips, switches etc are made.

Only if it takes the ball away from the opposition goals.
Backwards is subtracted from metres gained, which isn't mentioned in the article.