Round 2 – Port Adelaide v Hawthorn: They Said It – Or Did The Data Say It?

 

 

 

 

 

“We broke down badly in offence and defence.” – Ken Hinkley, Port Adelaide Coach, post-match interview, 26 March 2022.

 

Well strike me dead and call me Charlie:  why didn’t Hinkley add that Port didn’t keep the scoreboard moving?

 

What could Hinkley have said after the shellacking of his team by the young guns at Hawthorn?  Well, he could have said something like “we should have won because on a lot of the metrics we were in front”.

 

 

Exhibit A:

 

	Port Adelaide	Hawthorn
Disposals	416	342
Kicks	221	201
Handballs	195	141
Clearances	54	30
Inside 50	58	46
Tackles	71	52

 

 

There were only two major metrics that the Hawks won:  two more free kicks (15:17) and nearly double the number of hit outs (29:53).

 

I was reminded of the very useful advice that AFLW coach, Bec Goddard, gave the assembled media some five years ago when she was quizzed about the statistics collected by very clever statisticians.  I think the journalist was suggesting that the data was not glowing of Adelaide’s performance after their first match.  Her response to the statistics went something like this:

 

“they’re like a light pole to a drunk; they’re there to help you stand up but they’re not going to illuminate your life …”.  (9 February 2017).

 

This seemed to be the case for the absolutely astounding performance by the Hawks.  Like Adelaide in the AFLW in their first season, the Hawks had not been expected to achieve anything much in their 2022 AFLM season.  It is essentially a new team, with a few older, steadying hands, but with a new coaching team as well.

 

Dear Dolly:  they have gladdened the hearts of us old supporters.  For the last two weeks, we have sat on the edge of our seats waiting for the stumbles and falls.  But they haven’t happened.  This is not to say that things will not crumble as the weeks go by.  But goodness me, these young Hawks are providing great cheer and comfort.

 

And the Hawks are currently atop the AFLM ladder with a quite decent percentage.

 

Coach Sam Mitchell displayed a calmness that I just can’t fathom.  He was clearly thrilled with the work of the young ones, while respectful of the experienced steadying hands of players like Breust, McEvoy and Gunston.  President Kennett’s email after Round 1 went along the lines of “don’t expect us to win every week” given the rebuilding that is happening.

 

Dare we dream?

 

 

Port Adelaide:            0.3       3.6       7.10     7.14
Hawthorn:                  3.2       8.4       14.4     19.6

 

Goals:
Port Adelaide:            Powell-Pepper 3, Houston, Lycett, Motlop, Rozee
Hawthorn:                  Lewis 5, Gunston 3, Breust 3, Moore 2, Wingard 2, Macdonald, Nash, Newcombe, Ward

 

Our Votes:      Mitchell 3, Gunston 2, Powell-Pepper 1

 

Umpires:         Donlon, Haussen and Rebeschini.  Sadly, no women.

 

Crowd:            30,267

 

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