Possession is King ! Round 5 edition

So after the interesting data from last weeks game I thought I would do it again for todays game. 

So here goes ...

EelsPanthers
ActualPer minPer 50%ActualPer minPer 50%

Possession & Completions

56%  44%  
Time in Possession28.00 25.0022.00 25.00
Completion Rate72%  72%  
Completion Sets31/43  29/40  
Attack      
All Runs1665.936.641466.645.84
All Run Metres1,16441.5746.561,13151.4145.24
Post Contact Metres41214.7116.4836216.4514.48
Linebreaks20.070.0810.050.04
Tackle Breaks421.501.68331.501.32
Average Set Distance27.10.971.0828.31.291.13
Kick Return Metres1134.044.521707.736.80
Passing      
Offloads70.250.28100.450.40
Receipts42015.0016.8033315.1413.32
Total Passes2308.219.201667.556.64
Dummy Passes321.141.28311.411.24
Kicking      
Kicks190.680.76140.640.56
Kicking Metres42415.1416.9637817.1815.12
Forced Drop Outs20.070.0810.050.04
Kick Defusal %80%0 70%  
Bombs20.070.0870.320.28
Grubbers60.210.2410.050.04
Defence      
Effective Tackle %87.6%0 87.8%  
Tackles Made33111.8213.2435216.0014.08
Ineffective Tackles140.500.5670.320.28
Negative Play      
Errors1300.52130.590.52
Penalties Conceded1100.44120.550.48
Sin Bins100.0410.05

0.04

The first stat that is obvious is the vastly improved share of possession. After the debacle of the last 3 weeks, we actually had 58% of time in possession, 28 minutes to Penrith's 22 minutes, we also had 3 extra sets, (43-40), completing 2 more (31-29). The first thing this does is take the pressure of our defence as we now only defended for 22 minutes against Penrith as opposed to the nearly 30 minutes against the Tigers. Those extra 8 minutes of tackling just eat up petrol like nothing else. The concern though for Brad and the coaching staff was that the improvement in possession share probably had as much to do with Penrith's own ball security as ours, as both teams had 13 turnovers. That said the defensive intensity of both teams was considerably higher than last weeks game. An extremely physical game inevitably leads to more forced errors. The good thing for the Eels was the reining in of unforced errors, and crucially the compounding follow up penalty. 

Secondly, it was observed by some that our offensive approach was too predictable and we needed to produce more offloads. The stats however suggest that at least in terms of offloads we aren't nearly as predictable as many seem to think, at least not in comparison to the Panthers, as the offloads were 10-7 in the Panthers favour. The Panthers certainly had more, but the difference was not as profound as might be expected. In fact, in terms of overall passes, we passed the ball a hell of a lot more than the Panthers did, 230-166. Context here is everything. What was clear today was our tendency to pass sideways a lot, but not really going forward at the end of a passing movement. In the first half in particular it was notable that both Corey Norman & Mitch Moses were guilty of running at too wide an angle before passing and never really committing a defender. In the second half as we started running with more energy both straightened their line of attack noticeably, with positive results.

Thirdly, the kicking stats also make for interesting reading. The Panthers were forced to resort to the high ball 7 times as opposed to 2 for the Eels, whilst the Eels held a similar advantage in short tactical kicks 6-1. These numbers suggest that the Panthers rarely were able to get into attacking field position on the last tackle, therefore having to resort to high balls from 30+m out, whereas the Eels had far better opportunities to apply goal line pressure on the last tackle as evidenced by the 6-1 advantage in short kicks and a 2-1 advantage in drop outs forced. The inference that can then be made is that either the Eels metre eaters were as good or better than their Panthers rivals or the Panthers were forced to start from their own end often, or both. Both of these scenarios will be encouraging signs for the coaching staff.

In summary, what the numbers tell us is that on balance the Eels are more than capable of matching and beating anyone if we compete for the full 80 minutes like we did today. Furthermore if we play as straight or even straighter than we did in the second half, there can be every expectation that we have tries and points in us.

If I do have a criticism of the tactics today it was their refusal to shoot for goal when we had penalties in range. Goal line defences are so hard to breach these days that every point that is available must be taken. We had at least 4 or 5 penalties in range today, had they been taken we might very well have won.

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  • 'In summary, what the numbers tell us is that on balance the Eels are more than capable of matching and beating anyone if we compete for the full 80 minutes like we did today. Furthermore if we play as straight or even straighter than we did in the second half, there can be every expectation that we have tries and points in us.'

    BUT WE DIDNT and HAVENT BRETT.

    We are gone for the year and it will take a miracle from here to just make the 8 - the responsibility falls on BAs shoulders and I don't care how many dropped balls Penis fingers is responsible for. At the end of the day its BAs side, he picks the team and he decides who he recruits and retains. Its time for him to stand aside.

    • We actually created more opportunities than the Panthers did today Frank. There is no quick fix here, the improvements have to come incrementally. There is no magical switch to flick and everything is suddenly rosy. There is just a lot of hard graft ahead for the team. But they have it in them. I still believe we will make the 8, although probably not the top 4 at this point.

      Giving up is not an option. We all have to stay the course and see this through.

      • Yawn, do you work for the club Brett??  Because you sound just like the lemmings who would work there.

      • Brett Kaysa Pritchard can't pass left too right man he has got the worst service off the deck Pass I've seen in along time.Its slow laboured and from my eyes he can't throw a decent spiral pass in the mentioned direction.

        So in short our right side our best side to attack from looks grounded because of that service.

        Outside we had enough pill to win the game but individual errors and execution in the attacking zone killed us.

    • A change of coach is the absolutely worst thing we can do. What it will say is that when things get tough and we go through adversity the Eels as a club and a fan base take the cheap and easy option. 

      Thankfully we have people in charge who don't make emotional decisions. At least I hope that's the case.

      • Its a business decision not an emotional one - you're making one based on nothing more than a sense of loyalty.

        We live in a results oriented world and a results oriented game, unfortunately BA has had 5 years and come up empty. A change is better than a holiday so in my opinion we need to part ways but no later than mid year to give the new bloke a chance to make the necessary squad changes for 2019. Stop hoping and praying and accept our fate in 2018. Lets revisit this thread come June.

      • Agree stability is what the Eels have needed for years in my eyes Bernie & co need to get all the constitutional and financial stuff soughted behind the scenes.

        The players are trying hard and I can't question there effort it's there but we aren't executing in the attacking zone and yesterday the individual errors absolutely killed our momentum.

        We are doing it tough right now but as they it's not time to panic.

        Replacing a coach is like the magic bullet solution in my eyes.I think we need to stick we've been through plenty of darker times than this as a club and have come out the other side with BA at the helm to me as above head down and keep working.

    • Totally agree Frank!

  • This reply was deleted.
    • Sorry mate, the numbers simply do not support that assertion, although I do agree that we are low on confidence which will only come with more efforts like today. Brad made that observation in the presser, when a team is high on confidence, everything seems to happen more naturally, you get the bounce of the ball, everything seems to be easier. But that confidence has to be earned, and the only way to earn it is through competing relentlessly for 80 minutes week in week out. The key is we need to back that up again next week, and the week after and the week after that until the tide turns. There are no easy outs here.

      As for talent, players don't lose talent.

      Form is temporary, talent is permanent.

      • What talent are u talking about? 

This reply was deleted.

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