Ranking AFL clubs in key metrics

We’re at the half-way mark of the 2019 AFL season and it’s that time of the year when fans have sorted themselves into the three usual categories: 

“We’re going to the Finals!” 

“We're a chance to make Finals...” and the;

“Can’t we just skip ahead to 2020?” 

If you don’t already know which group you fall into, you might want to check out the new Stats Insider 2019 AFL Futures.

But, it’s not just ladder position that dictates someone’s optimism or pessimism, is it? 

We’ve seen the teams play. We’ve analysed the performances. We know Geelong are the team to beat. All opinions are validated or debunked when you check each team’s performances in a statistical format.

Let’s evaluate some important performance metrics and check how each team has fared up to Round 12.

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The last 10 season's Premiers have all ranked in the top five for all of ‘Points differential from turnovers’, ‘Points scored from the forward half’ and ‘Opposition scores per inside 50’ at the conclusion of their Premiership campaign. 

'Marks inside 50' offers you an important scoring opportunity, and you don’t need to be a genius to know that if you score more and concede less, your chances of winning a game of footy are higher.

So, thanks to the data-legends at Champion Data and AFL Tables, we’ve ranked each of the 18 teams for these 6 performance metrics.

• Goals for

• Goals against

• Marks inside 50

• Points differential from turnovers

• Points scored from the forward half

• Opposition scores per inside 50

Geelong - who sit comfortably at the top of the AFL Ladder - rank first in three of those six parameters, and come in second for 'opposition scores per inside 50.' Although they’re 'just' the second least in 'goals against,' the Cats have played one extra game and have conceded just one goal more than Fremantle, who currently rank first. 

Unless the Dockers hold Port Adelaide to less than two goals this weekend, which is highly unlikely, Geelong will grab first position in this key metric.

It’s no surprise that the top-3 on the AFL Ladder share most of the upper tier spots when it comes to these key statistics. Collingwood has one of the best forward lines in the competition, coupled with a creative midfield. It is no surprise that Collingwood rank first for ‘marks inside 50’, while the GWS Giants rank first in keeping a lid on their 'opponent’s scoring per inside 50.'

Interestingly, the current Premiers don’t feature in the top-6 for any of the six metrics but the West Coast Eagles were similarly placed at the end of last year as well. If it means another Grand Final win, the Eagles fans wouldn’t really mind, would they?

Carlton and the Gold Coast Suns expectedly take up the bulk of the lowest slots but if you're a Melbourne supporter who was optimistic and cheerful at the start of March, those 15-15-15-15-18-6 ranks explain how bad things have been for the Demons in Season 2019.

The Hawks - even without last year’s Brownlow medal winner, Tom Mitchell - are still in contention for an AFL Finals spot and are well placed in three of the six categories. Richmond has struggled defensively with all their injury worries, and the data clearly supports that argument.

Of course, these six metrics don't paint the entire picture, and footy is a lot more than just numbers, but this gives us a good understanding of how each team has performed where it matters, and where they currently stand. 

We’re only halfway into the season, so there is still enough time for teams to pull up their socks and ensure they end 2019 on a high.

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