MELBOURNE’S round 16 encounter with Fremantle was definitely a game of two distinct halves.
The Dockers jumped out of the blocks quickly, kicking nine goals to Melbourne’s three in the first half. In the second half, however, the Dees clawed their way back kicking seven goals to two.
One crucial statistic in any game is ‘marks inside 50’. Generally speaking, the more marks you can take inside your own forward arc (and in the process deny the opposition the same opportunities), the more likely you are to win the game.
Going through the numbers over the first 16 rounds, there has been only one instance where a team has taken 20 marks or more inside 50 and failed to win the game - Essendon took 20 marks inside their forward 50 in round two against Fremantle and lost by 44 points.
The important thing to note with that match was that the Dockers took 19 marks of their own up forward, virtually breaking even with the Bombers. And inaccurate kicking from Essendon - 9.15 to 17.11 - probably didn’t help either.
The game against Fremantle on the weekend showed just how critical marks inside 50 can be to a team’s success. The Dockers took seven marks inside 50 in the first half, five of them in their barnstorming first quarter. The Dees failed to take a mark inside 50 at all in the first two quarters.
After regrouping at half-time, the game completely flipped on its head.
In the third term alone, Melbourne took seven marks inside their forward 50 - the Dockers had none.
The second half total saw the Dees with 10 marks inside 50 to Fremantle’s three, meaning both teams finished the match with 10 apiece.
And the result from those marks inside 50?
Melbourne kicked 3.6, including three crucial behinds in the final term. Fremantle actually fared even worse, kicking 2.4 as well as missing three shots at goal altogether.
Had either team capitalised on their opportunities better, the margin (or indeed the result) could have been completely different.
Looking at all 16 teams, it is obvious that this particular statistic is extremely valuable.
The top four teams for marks inside 50 - Geelong (265), Western Bulldogs (223), Collingwood (221) and Fremantle (211) - fill four of the first five positions on the ladder.
St.Kilda, ranked 12th with 170 marks inside 50, rely on a different style of game and have had to do without their best contested marking forward for the majority of the season.
So which players are leading the competition for marks inside 50?
Barry Hall (63) and Jack Riewoldt (59) are clearly the standouts this year, with Kurt Tippett (48) a little further behind with a host of others. Melbourne’s leading marking player inside 50 this season is Brad Green, ranked 12th overall with 36.
And the player who has taken the most marks inside 50 in a single game this season?
None other than Mark LeCras, who took a staggering 11 marks in the forward arc against the Bombers last weekend on his way to a 12-goal haul. Only four teams took more than 11 marks inside 50 collectively in Round 16.
Melbourne has won the marks inside 50 count in four of its five wins (round five against Brisbane Lions the exception).
Add to that a tally of 14 to 9 in the Queen’s Birthday drawn match and it becomes obvious that the likes of Liam Jurrah, Jack Watts, Matthew Bate and Green will be crucial to the Demons’ success in 2011 and beyond.
The Dockers jumped out of the blocks quickly, kicking nine goals to Melbourne’s three in the first half. In the second half, however, the Dees clawed their way back kicking seven goals to two.
One crucial statistic in any game is ‘marks inside 50’. Generally speaking, the more marks you can take inside your own forward arc (and in the process deny the opposition the same opportunities), the more likely you are to win the game.
Going through the numbers over the first 16 rounds, there has been only one instance where a team has taken 20 marks or more inside 50 and failed to win the game - Essendon took 20 marks inside their forward 50 in round two against Fremantle and lost by 44 points.
The important thing to note with that match was that the Dockers took 19 marks of their own up forward, virtually breaking even with the Bombers. And inaccurate kicking from Essendon - 9.15 to 17.11 - probably didn’t help either.
The game against Fremantle on the weekend showed just how critical marks inside 50 can be to a team’s success. The Dockers took seven marks inside 50 in the first half, five of them in their barnstorming first quarter. The Dees failed to take a mark inside 50 at all in the first two quarters.
After regrouping at half-time, the game completely flipped on its head.
In the third term alone, Melbourne took seven marks inside their forward 50 - the Dockers had none.
The second half total saw the Dees with 10 marks inside 50 to Fremantle’s three, meaning both teams finished the match with 10 apiece.
And the result from those marks inside 50?
Melbourne kicked 3.6, including three crucial behinds in the final term. Fremantle actually fared even worse, kicking 2.4 as well as missing three shots at goal altogether.
Had either team capitalised on their opportunities better, the margin (or indeed the result) could have been completely different.
Looking at all 16 teams, it is obvious that this particular statistic is extremely valuable.
The top four teams for marks inside 50 - Geelong (265), Western Bulldogs (223), Collingwood (221) and Fremantle (211) - fill four of the first five positions on the ladder.
St.Kilda, ranked 12th with 170 marks inside 50, rely on a different style of game and have had to do without their best contested marking forward for the majority of the season.
So which players are leading the competition for marks inside 50?
Barry Hall (63) and Jack Riewoldt (59) are clearly the standouts this year, with Kurt Tippett (48) a little further behind with a host of others. Melbourne’s leading marking player inside 50 this season is Brad Green, ranked 12th overall with 36.
And the player who has taken the most marks inside 50 in a single game this season?
None other than Mark LeCras, who took a staggering 11 marks in the forward arc against the Bombers last weekend on his way to a 12-goal haul. Only four teams took more than 11 marks inside 50 collectively in Round 16.
Melbourne has won the marks inside 50 count in four of its five wins (round five against Brisbane Lions the exception).
Add to that a tally of 14 to 9 in the Queen’s Birthday drawn match and it becomes obvious that the likes of Liam Jurrah, Jack Watts, Matthew Bate and Green will be crucial to the Demons’ success in 2011 and beyond.
