The Geelong Falcons have flown higher than anyone else over the last five weeks, going undefeated to sit just behind the Dandenong Stingrays on percentage in second on the ladder.
Since being humbled by the Murray Bushrangers to the tune of 69 points in Round 2, the Falcons have accounted for the Gippsland Power, Northern Knights, Eastern Ranges, Western Jets and Calder Cannons by an average winning margin of 61 points.
Geelong has averaged 122 points per game in that time to become easily the highest-scoring team in the TAC Cup.
But what stats are behind that potency in front of goal?
Well, successful football often starts in the contests and the Falcons are winning the ball in congestion with impressive regularity. Over those last five games, they average 27 more contested possessions and six more clearances per game than their opposition.
This has led to a dominant +22 inside-50s per game differential and plenty of scoring opportunities for goalkickers Brett Blair (26 goals in 2015), Jackson McLachlan (13), Pat Dowling (12) and Jack Henry (12).
And they can thank the grunt work of teammates upfield such as Max Augerinos (27 disposals per game), Lockey McCartney (24) and James Worpel (21) for that.
When the Bushrangers triumphed in Round 2, they also lost the contested possession, clearance and inside-50 counts to Geelong, but easily won the uncontested possession and mark counts.
Deny the Falcons the ball when you do win it back from them and you might stand a chance of stopping the flow of goals.
In other key stats from Round 7:
30: Jordan Gallucci’s damaging boot was a major factor in the Eastern Ranges’ 50-point win against the Gippsland Power two weeks ago. The skilful AFL Academy member disposed of the ball 30 times by foot – nine more times than any other TAC Cup player in Round 7. That same boot drove the ball inside 50 on 12 occasions for the Ranges, as well as bagging three goals.
Round 7 stats leaders:
KICKS |
|
|
|
Jordan Gallucci |
Eastern Ranges |
30 |
|
Callan Wellings |
North Ballarat Rebels |
21 |
|
Matt Perry |
Northern Knights |
20 |
|
Kane Farrell |
Bendigo Pioneers |
19 |
|
Will Leslie |
Gippsland Power |
19 |
|
Aidan Quigley |
Gippsland Power |
19 |
|
Sam Michael |
Oakleigh Chargers |
19 |
|
Connor Griffiths |
Western Jets |
19 |
|
Jack Blood |
Geelong Falcons |
18 |
|
Kyle O'Conner |
North Ballarat Rebels |
18 |
|
Judah Dundon |
Western Jets |
18 |
|
Jamieson Sheahan |
Bendigo Pioneers |
17 |
|
Michael Rogers |
Sandringham Dragons |
17 |
|
Daniel Foley |
Western Jets |
17 |
|
Jack Exell |
Bendigo Pioneers |
16 |
|
|
|
|
|
HANDBALLS |
|
|
|
Mason Blakey |
Northern Knights |
17 |
|
Bobby Lamanna |
Northern Knights |
16 |
|
Max Augerinos |
Geelong Falcons |
16 |
|
Matt Perry |
Northern Knights |
15 |
|
Brodie Romensky |
Western Jets |
15 |
|
Darby Henderson |
Bendigo Pioneers |
14 |
|
Tom Williamson |
North Ballarat Rebels |
14 |
|
Isaac Miller |
Bendigo Pioneers |
14 |
|
Mitchell Andrews |
Northern Knights |
13 |
|
Hugh McCluggage |
North Ballarat Rebels |
13 |
|
Ashley Krakauer |
Sandringham Dragons |
13 |
|
Jarrod Korewha |
North Ballarat Rebels |
13 |
|
Joseph Atley |
Bendigo Pioneers |
13 |
|
Jamison Shea |
Northern Knights |
13 |
|
Harry Benson |
Geelong Falcons |
13 |
|
|
|
|
|
MARKS |
|
|
|
Tate Marsh |
Gippsland Power |
10 |
|
Jaidyn Stephenson |
Eastern Ranges |
10 |
|
Sam Michael |
Oakleigh Chargers |
10 |
|
Jack McKernan |
Murray Bushrangers |
10 |
|
Jarrod Korewha |
North Ballarat Rebels |
9 |
|
Jamieson Sheahan |
Bendigo Pioneers |
9 |
|
Nicholas Stuhldreier |
Western Jets |
9 |
|
Marcus Lentini |
Northern Knights |
9 |
|
Tristan Van Driel |
Oakleigh Chargers |
9 |
|
Louis Pinnuck |
Murray Bushrangers |
9 |
|
Ed Phillips |
Oakleigh Chargers |
9 |
|
Zachary Zdybel |
Geelong Falcons |
9 |
|
Jordan Lynch |
Eastern Ranges |
9 |
|
Aidan Quigley |
Gippsland Power |
9 |
|
Tom Williamson |
North Ballarat Rebels |
8 |
|
|
|
|
|
HITOUTS |
|
|
|
Josh Patullo |
Gippsland Power |
24 |
|
Sam Hayes |
Eastern Ranges |
23 |
|
Ovie Magbegor |
Calder Cannons |
23 |
|
Riley Ham |
Western Jets |
21 |
|
Hayden Elliot |
Geelong Falcons |
21 |
|
Mitchell McCarthy |
Dandenong Stingrays |
20 |
|
Dylan Atkins |
Dandenong Stingrays |
17 |
|
Joshua Boehm |
Oakleigh Chargers |
16 |
|
Hugh Johnson |
Sandringham Dragons |
16 |
|
Zak Hawker |
Sandringham Dragons |
16 |
|
Zac Norris |
Bendigo Pioneers |
15 |
|
Lloyd Meek |
North Ballarat Rebels |
13 |
|
Ryan Hearn |
Gippsland Power |
13 |
|
Tristan Xerri |
Western Jets |
13 |
|
Chas Roberts |
Northern Knights |
13 |
|
|
|
|
|
TACKLES |
|
|
|
Joseph Atley |
Bendigo Pioneers |
8 |
|
Charlie Walsh |
Gippsland Power |
8 |
|
Ben Paton |
Murray Bushrangers |
8 |
|
Vincent Adduci |
Oakleigh Chargers |
8 |
|
Matthew King |
Calder Cannons |
7 |
|
David Handley |
Geelong Falcons |
7 |
|
Jack Henry |
Geelong Falcons |
7 |
|
Joel Grace |
Northern Knights |
7 |
|
Ashley Krakauer |
Sandringham Dragons |
7 |
|
Mitchell Booth |
Bendigo Pioneers |
6 |
|
Josh Formosa |
Bendigo Pioneers |
6 |
|
Angus Schumacher |
Bendigo Pioneers |
6 |
|
Jack Doman |
Dandenong Stingrays |
6 |
|
Jordan Gallucci |
Eastern Ranges |
6 |
|
Nelson Lane |
Eastern Ranges |
6 |
|
|
|
|
|
2016 LEADING GOALKICKERS |
|
|
|
|
Goals |
Total |
Brett Blair |
Geelong Falcons |
6 |
26 |
Sam Fowler |
Dandenong Stingrays |
3 |
25 |
Karl Brown |
Calder Cannons |
_ |
24 |
Joshua Begley |
Eastern Ranges |
2 |
16 |
Tom De Koning |
Dandenong Stingrays |
1 |
15 |
Dan Allsop |
Dandenong Stingrays |
1 |
14 |
Jackson McLachlan |
Geelong Falcons |
_ |
13 |
Jack Henry |
Geelong Falcons |
1 |
12 |
Kayle Kirby |
Bendigo Pioneers |
_ |
12 |
Pat Dowling |
Geelong Falcons |
1 |
12 |
* Photo: Brian Bartlett
Related content:
Stats Central Round 6: Rebels turn things around
Stats Central Round 5: Big bag for Brown
Last Modified on 18/05/2016 23:21