Tag Archives: Statistics

Nice Statistic #9 The beauty of a rounded figure

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Here’s a nice and even statistic to keep you going in the off-season, though not being quite the ‘blow your socks off affair’ of this little nugget! For round 21 of the 2012 AFL season, the 5 matches played in Victoria had the following crowd totals.

38,179  –  59,381  –  44,956  –  19,396  –  23,098

This gave us the beautifully round total of 185,000 on the dot, with an average crowd of 37,000 precisely! This is as rounded-off, neat and even as the Subiaco crowd figures which have been historically either a) guessed b) rounded to the nearest thousand or c) the actual number of people in attendance! I’ve always felt the answer lies somewhere between points a) and b). If you don’t know what I’m talking about, ask me. I’ll find some evidence!

Even Stevens to you all!

Nice Statistic #7 – Even stevens at Windy Hill #2!

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In one of my first ever blog posts under my ‘nice statistic‘ section of this site, I looked at Essendon’s 2011 points for and against. Amazingly, after 22 games they had exactly the same score kicked against them as they kicked themselves- 2,217 for a percentage of exactly 100%.

Fast forward 12 months and what have the Bombers learned? Well, not much, but they can claim a small advancement. In fact a miniscule advancement. Season 2012 saw Essendon sore 2,091 points, conceding just 2090, a differential of just 1 point, their final percentage for the year coming to 100.05%.

image from – http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/is-it-time-to-change-the-essendon-logo.521826/page-5

So Essendonians, don’t despair. Should this trend continue, the mighty Bombers will only have to wait 70-80 years to be in flag contention once more.

Thanks to Coodabeens talkback caller Stan from Stradbroke Island who alerted me to this fact! Click here for a free download of the Coodabeens weekly footy show, or tune into ABC 774 of a Saturday morning!

Nice Statistic #4 Andrew Underwood

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Having already explored the intrinsic link between David Cloke’s career and the number 3, I thought it time to look at the numbers of another dual club player, Andrew Underwood.

Underwood played with SANFL club Sturt from 1985-1988 before being drafted by then VFL club Essendon. After two seasons at Windy Hill, he transferred to Richmond for a season, before returning to Sturt after not being required by incoming Richmond coach Allan Jeans.

Andrew Underwood at Sturt post AFL career and importantly post mullet! Pic from http://www.sturtpics.com.au

So where does the number 12 fit in? Underwood was the last player to don the number before a young Matthew Richardson commandeered it in 1993, taking the number 12 guernsey in his only season with the Tigers in 1991. He played 12 games with Essendon, and 12 games with Richmond. His career of 24 games saw him play in 12 wins and 12 losses, while in his first season at Essendon, he played no games after round 12.

His first season saw him accumulate 112 kicks, while in his career he received 12 frees for in home matches and conceded 12 frees against in away matches.

While his career at Tigerland was brief, I will forever remember him for his part in Richmond’s shock win over his former club Essendon at Windy Hill in 1991, a lovely way for Richmond to sign off from that suburban ground. Underwood played an integral part in the win, yet the part I remember most was the picture of him in the paper following the match…hulking arms raised in defiance to his former home crowd as he left the field a winner, the last time he would do so as a league player.

I have been unable to locate this picture, though I was able to find the old match report from the Herald-Sun. “Obviously I wanted to play well against my old club, I had a point to prove. They let me go at the start of the season…I wanted to prove them wrong.” The report went on to say that Underwood gathered 23 possessions off half-back, going through four opponents; Ian McMullin, Michael Long, Tim Watson and flatmate Brad Fox! “Not a word was passed between us.” 

Andrew Underwood signed my book at the 1991 Richmond Family Day/Best & Fairest Count. He was soon to be let go.

With a Little Help from my friends…

@andreamaryb for informing me of the Underwood #12 files

http://stats.rleague.com/afl/stats/players/A/Andrew_Underwood.html

http://www.sturtpics.com.au

Tigers of Old, by Paul Hogan

(Interestingly, though Andrew Underwood was the last player to wear the number 12 before Matthew Richardson, Andrew finishing in 1991 and Mattew starting in 1993, a 1992 record I have lists Reserves coach Peter Schwabb as number 12 for the reserves. The book ‘Tigers of Old’ shows no record of him playing a game for the Richmond seconds, though this happened from time to time due to player shortages.)

Nice Statistic #3 David Cloke + 3 = interesting

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Former Richmond and Collingwood footballer David Cloke’s career was dominated by the number 3. So grab a calculator, abacus, your fingers or toes…whatever, and prepare to be awestruck!

David began his career with Richmond in 1974 wearing the number 33 on his back, the same number he took with him to Collingwood some ten years later. When he returned to Richmond he wore number 16.

Cloke the Pie – http://qualityafltradingcards.com

Clokes career spanned through 3 decades…70’s 80’s and 90’s, and also he played in 3 Grand Finals.

Cloke kicked 333 career goals, and in his final 3 games, he polled 3 Brownlow Medal votes in each match!

Cloke was also a member of the 300 game club….his 300th a memorable affair with a surprise Richmond victory over Carlton!

Dale Weightman and Big Clokey celebrate the power of 3!

He played for 18 seasons and was 36 when he retired, both numbers divisible by 3!

Famously, Cloke had 3 sons that played/play league football, each drafted under the father-son rule to Collingwood. They neatly wore or still wear the 3 numbers, 32 (Travis) 33 (Cameron) and 34 (Jason) that surrounded their own fathers number 33.

Now we get a bit nutty!

David Cloke gave away 33 free kicks in his first year (1974) and also in 1985. Son Jason gave away a career total of 33 free kicks in away matches only, while middle brother Cameron received a career total of 33 free kicks in home matches. Youngest son Travis is yet to join the 33 party, although as a left-footer amongst righties, he clearly doesn’t follow the status quo!

Some other 3’s that cropped up…David Cloke played 33 games against Fitzroy, something his sons will clearly never achieve.

Cloke also played just 3 games at Cararra, now Metricon Stadium.

Cloke senior kicked 3 goals in his last game for Richmond (1982 Grand Final) before moving to Collingwood, where in his first match he again booted 3 goals.

And finally, David Cloke’s final game for the Pies in 1989 saw him have 12 kicks, 6 marks, 6 handballs, for 18 disposals…and 9 hit outs. All stats are divisible by 3!

Interestingly, but not related to the number 3, David Cloke played in the 1990 Richmond v’s Carlton ‘Save our Skins’ legends match out at Windy Hill, only to come out of retirement and play on again in 1991!

Today’s post was brought to you by the number 3.

With a little help from my friends…

http://cloked3d.webs.com/clokemedallion.htm)

http://stats.rleague.com/afl/stats/players/D/David_Cloke.html