IN THE MODERN game, clubs have placed a premium on turnovers. But the challenge for a lot of teams is how they go about turning the ball over.
The juggernaut that is the forward press has been very effective for some teams - Collingwood and West Coast have had great success this year with this style - but it has proven to be a challenge for others.
However, does this popular gameplan hide possibly the most effective way of wrestling back possession from your opponent?
Specifically, we are talking about marks from opposition kicks, or intercept marks as they are better known. Such a crucial part of the game in terms of regaining possession, an underrated skill (particularly for defenders) and an important method of arresting a side’s momentum.
Of course, the figures don’t always tell the whole story - there are always a number of variables which can affect something like intercept marks. Obviously the more kicks and inside 50s your opposition is afforded, the more you may need to rely on winning the ball in the air.
But consider this - Essendon (93), Collingwood (90) and Geelong (84), arguably the three form teams of the competition, have taken more intercepts marks than any other side. These are aggregate figures, meaning the Cats jump to the number one ranking when you calculate them by averages as they have played only five games.
The Demons sit equal fifth for Intercept Marks with an average of 14 per match this season. Statistically speaking, our best game was round one against the Swans where we managed to mark 22 opposition kicks over the course of the match.
But not far behind was the round three encounter with Brisbane, where the Demons snatched 18 marks from Lion kicks. And it was defender Jared Rivers who was responsible for five of them, three in the tense final quarter.
The position on the ground where the intercept mark is taken can be critical.
Ideally you’d like your intercept marks taken as far towards your forward line as possible, as it allows you to counter-attack quickly or hold the ball up to allow more of your teammates to get forward of the ball.
But on the other hand you need your defenders to be the most adept at intercepting opposition kicks. And this is where a lot of them are taken - 42 per cent in fact. The midfield accounts for 55 per cent of marks from opposition kicks, while fewer than 3 per cent are taken in the forward line.
Obviously intercept marks in your own forward 50 are like gold as they result in a shot at goal. Jack Trengove managed our only one for the year (bear in mind that the most of any team so far this season is three) against the Suns, but unfortunately hit the post.
Some of the game’s best defenders have made an art form of intercept marks over the years.
In his NAB AFL Rising Star year of 2004, Jared Rivers ranked second in the competition for intercept marks with 59, behind only Port Adelaide’s Chad Cornes with 72. Cornes was named All-Australian that year.
The Western Bulldogs’ Brian Lake earned his first All-Australian honours in 2010 despite being ranked first or second for intercept marks in every year since 2007.
The likes of Matthew Scarlett, Darren Glass and Tom Harley have been ranked in the top couple for intercept marks over the years - a very important measurement of a defender’s worth.
This season Luke Tapscott leads the Demons with 13 (ranked seventh in the competition), followed by Jared Rivers and Jack Grimes with 10 apiece. Colin Garland and Jack Trengove each have six for the year. Port Adelaide’s Troy Chaplin leads the league with 17 intercept marks in six matches, with Cale Hooker, Daniel Merrett and Dale Morris each have 16 thus far.
The challenge for the coaches is to train the players in this rather underrated skill. When to leave your opponent, when to play in front, when to fly for marks and when to spoil are important decisions to make, particularly for defenders.
The emphasis on pressing up on your opponent and hurrying disposal means that intercept marks are more prevalent than ever. Interestingly, the average intercept marks per game have risen by one each year - from 10 in 2008 up to 13 so far in 2011.
It might not sound like much but one more intercept mark could mean stopping a goal or creating a turnover further up the ground where you can launch a score.
So while you would rather win the ball in a contest and retain possession, intercepting kicks from the opposition are a crucial and largely underrated element to winning matches. And the more players who possess this skill, the better off the side will be.
Don’t forget to follow @StatsIncredible on Twitter.
In his NAB AFL Rising Star year of 2004, Jared Rivers ranked second in the competition for intercept marks with 59, behind only Port Adelaide’s Chad Cornes with 72. Cornes was named All-Australian that year.
The Western Bulldogs’ Brian Lake earned his first All-Australian honours in 2010 despite being ranked first or second for intercept marks in every year since 2007.
The likes of Matthew Scarlett, Darren Glass and Tom Harley have been ranked in the top couple for intercept marks over the years - a very important measurement of a defender’s worth.
This season Luke Tapscott leads the Demons with 13 (ranked seventh in the competition), followed by Jared Rivers and Jack Grimes with 10 apiece. Colin Garland and Jack Trengove each have six for the year. Port Adelaide’s Troy Chaplin leads the league with 17 intercept marks in six matches, with Cale Hooker, Daniel Merrett and Dale Morris each have 16 thus far.
The challenge for the coaches is to train the players in this rather underrated skill. When to leave your opponent, when to play in front, when to fly for marks and when to spoil are important decisions to make, particularly for defenders.
The emphasis on pressing up on your opponent and hurrying disposal means that intercept marks are more prevalent than ever. Interestingly, the average intercept marks per game have risen by one each year - from 10 in 2008 up to 13 so far in 2011.
It might not sound like much but one more intercept mark could mean stopping a goal or creating a turnover further up the ground where you can launch a score.
So while you would rather win the ball in a contest and retain possession, intercepting kicks from the opposition are a crucial and largely underrated element to winning matches. And the more players who possess this skill, the better off the side will be.
Don’t forget to follow @StatsIncredible on Twitter.
