by Andrew Gigacz
The last two weeks have had it all with several important pieces of the statistical jigsaw falling nicely into place. Last week it was the first one-point game of the year and the first 100+ point result and this week we had every stat-head’s dream: the draw!
TIGERS AND NORTH DRAW THEIR OWN CONCLUSION ABOUT TANKING
And yes it was North and Richmond who fought out the first tie of the season. These two sides also drew last year but not against each other. Richmond blew a 19-point lead with 3 minutes to go and drew the Dogs in Round 5 and the following week the Swans and the Kangaroos ended up level in THAT match. (You know, the one where Sydney had 19 men on the field.)
Terry Wallace might be gone from the Tigers but it seems the innovation lives on. There are those who believe (and they know who they are) that the Tigers took tanking to a precise new level on Sunday. Not only did they not actually lose, but they have set the scene for another draw in the next six weeks, which will allow them to remain below the all-important 16.5 premiership-points cut-off point.
STATISTICAL STEVE SPOTS SPECIAL SCORE
Still on the draw, well done to Steve Healy who correctly pointed out in his match report (http://footyalmanac.com.au/?p=3312) that the draw score of 12.13.85 was identical to that of the St Kilda vs Bulldogs draw of Round 18, 2007. Steve, if I ever need to get another gall-bladder out, it’s good to know you’ll be qualified to fill my shoes while I recover. (If you are interested, you’ll need make sure you have a talent for bad jokes.)
GOOD OMEN OF THE WEEK
And yet more on the draw: as if there weren’t already enough things pointing towards a St Kilda premiership, here’s another omen to add to the list. The only other time in history that Richmond and North Melbourne have played a drawn match was in 1966.
POSTCODES OF THE WEEK
Such is the popularity of this segment (at least in my mind), teams have started queuing up to get on board. This week we have three:
- In scoring 4,1,0 and 2 goals in each quarter, Adelaide not only lost a chance to take fourth spot, they actually surrendered fifth spot to Brisbane. Very appropriate because 4102 is the postcode of the ‘Gabba.
- Meanwhile Richmond kicked 4,6,1,1, the postcode of Marshlands in Queensland and we all know that the Tigers were SWAMPED in the second half.
- Fremantle were true to type. They promised a relevant postcode but weren’t quite there. They scored 2,2,2,1 which is the postcode of Carss Park near Sydney. Before Matthew and Josh jumped ship, Freo’s training ground was known to some as Carr’s Park. Almost, but not quite Dockers.
62 BREAKS THE DROUGHT
Congratulations to the number 62, scored by Brisbane on Saturday night. Nothing unusual about the score, but it was the first time in over eight years that it was a winning one.
ASHES TO HASHES
Simon Katich scored a respectable 48 in the first innings of the Second Test on Friday. Adelaide also scored 48 as they made a complete hash of challenging the Saints. After Katich’s less than impressive second innings knock, perhaps what we can draw from the matching scores is that neither Katich nor Adelaide are as good as we may have previously thought.
SCORE WARS
85 jumped out to a lead of three in round 14. 90 hit back last week, scoring twice and moving within one of the lead. But 85 answered the challenge decisively in the drawn game and is back out to a lead of three, having been scored 11 times for the season compared to 90’s eight times.
THIS WEEK’S RIDICULOUS FOOTY ANAGRAM:
Despite extensive research (googling the words Leon Davis and sand), I have been unable to establish whether or not Leon Davis loves or loathes beach recovery sessions. So this week’s anagram could be either appropriate or ironic. Either way, there’s no escaping the fact that Leon Davis is an anagram of I LOVE SAND…
About Andrew Gigacz
Well, here we are. The Bulldogs have won a flag. What do I do now?
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Thanks for the special mention Gigs.
I’d definitley be happy to fill your stop, but the anagrams and the postcodes aren’t at my level yet.
I think it’s interesting looking at “total scores” of each round, for example Round 16 was 201.159
Hi Steve. No probs. Love reading your reports. It’s amazing you should mention the total score thing because I came within whisker of mentioning the total points this week, which was 1365 (as you probably know). If Australia had made 8 more runs last night, the total number of runs in the second test would also have been 1365!
There’s an evaluation Gigs…your best is ludicrous!
If Justin Westhoff or Paul Chapman weren’t playing, the two players who scored 1.2 for the round,
your 1357 dream would have come true Gigs!
But here’s more: Justin Westhoff has 8 letters in his last name and if you add the two digits of Chapman’s number (35) you get 8.
Crio, as I’ve said before, I make it my daily aim for someone to call me or nut or crazy or something similar. I can sleep well tonight knowing I’ve achieved today’s target. Thanks John H!
Steve, I’m starting to think you are me reincarnated, which is a bit of worry because I didn’t think I was dead yet.
Great stats! Better than anything I was thinking of. Although I was coonsidering saying it matched the number of runs plus the number of incorrect umpiring decisions…
Hahaha thanks Gigs, but continuing on from my last comment, I forgot to put Westhoff’s number (39) also equals 12 (1.2) when you add them up.
Anyway, more on Geelong’s number 8 sums
Number 17 Shannon Brynes only kicked 1.1 for the Cats in round 16, but he also has a connection with the number- he has been awarded 8 free kicks this year.
Number 26 Tom Hawkins had 8 kicks, 8 handballs and 8 marks in the victory over Melbourne.
Number 44 Corey Enright doesn’t have big connections with the number. Although in his career he has given away 8 free kicks at Subiaco and if you take the “nr” out of his last name it’s Eight.
Number 8 Josh Hunt hasn’t seen the footy this year, but i’m proud to report there are 8 letters in his full name.
Steve, with some of the the stuff I spout, many have often questioned my sanity. Do you find that happening to you?
That stuff is pure gold, especially the Enright to Eight conversion. You’ll be doing ridiculous anagrams in no time. :-)
And by the way, you and me are the sane ones. Everyone else is nuts.
Yea, if you don’t know stats off by heart then they’re the insane one. When I was about four or five, people would say a score like 31.10 and I would immediately reply “196”. There’s nothing better than telling people amazing stats.
Steve, you are a man after my own heart. I did the same thing. Did you become good at it just be reading through scores all the time? When I was eight I was given a game called Aussie Footy (which I still have) and I spent hours with my brothers playing it. It came with a score-pad and I got very good at memorising the scores because of it. And because me and Glenn Knight and Laurie Maiolo played dice footy in year seven when we were supposed to be doing English.
If you want to really impress/annoy your friends, you can start doing things like going up to them and, for example if it’s the 3rd August 2009, say “did you know that this day 83 years ago was a very important day” and when they ask you why you just say “because the date was 3.8.26 and 3 goals 8 equals 26 points”. You get some pretty strange looks from people. It’s a lot of fun!
I’m not sure.Knowing scores like that has always been a thing that I have been able to remember. But when I was about five I started scoring games, so I would remember scores from games off by heart. One game I will always remember scoring is Carlton V West Coast in Round 10 2001 at Optus Oval. I don’t know why, but it just stuck in my head. Carlton won 21.23 149 to 3.12 30. I used to make footy games using blocks and commentate as well.
Steve
I also am very good with my footy scores and a few mates at school are amazed at how quickly i can give them an answer when they ask me a score. I want to ask you if it helped you with your times tables? Because ever since learning the scores, i’ve been able to do any times table up to 13 easily, especially my 6’s. Well that’s enough from me.
Josh.
Yeah, I know what you mean. It did help me with my time tables and I was also amazed when I learnt that 4×8=32 and 7×7=49 when I knew 4.8 32 and 7.7 49.