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PUNT ROAD END | Richmond Tigers Forum
In a discussion with someone on another thread the topic of tackling trends came up, so I thought I would take a (admitably) raw look.
Clearer it’s not a in depth / all encompassing look, but the facts I did pull up I thought was interesting and I thought some fellow footy tragics might take some interest in the results while chomping at the reins for the footy season proper to start.
As it was just a quick snapshot I just went back to 1987 and I only looked at team tackling scores for a game as I was interested in the trends of tackling overall by teams and couldn’t easily find total year scores for each team.
So these results are based on best and worst tackling records for a side in an AFL game.
In summary I found from 1987 - 2008;
THE WORST
Up until 1993, the worst tackle totals by sides for a entire game were under 10.
In 1987, two sides had not scored a tackle in a game!!!
In 1994/95 it slowly improved to 11 or 12. They dropped under 10 again till 2000. Since which the worst tackling sides have gradually but consistently improved their tackle counts.
In recent years the worst amount of tackles in a game have been around 20-25.
So we’ve gone from 0 on a couple of cases in 87, to the majority being under 10 from 1988 - 2000 to now be around 20-25 for the lowest tackle count by a side in a game, which I believe clearly shows the trend that we are most certainly tackling more now.
For the record, Richmond scored the lowest tackles in a game in 2008 at 24.
The best of the worst tacklers (
) from 1987 – 2008 has been St Kilda in 2006 with 25.
THE BEST
On the other end of the scale, while there is still indication tackling has increased greatly it’s more complicated and yet still proves a OBVIOUS higher tackling rate trend.
The most tackles in a game in 1987, was Essendon with 62.
Interestingly, the lowest tackle record for most tackles in a game by a side, was in 1988 at just 40…where 3 sides achieved this! (Brisbane, Essendon & Carlton the last two both achieving this over Melbourne. What a bizarre year!)
From 1989 – 1998 the best tackles by a side in a game range from 51-65 (with one 49).
1998 was also the best to that date within the period tracked, with a result of 65, then it drops to 47 again in 1999, before spiking back up in 2000 with 67 and slightly dropping to 62 in 2001.
From there the increase in tackling becomes more obvious.
2002-74
2003-76
2004-100 (Geelong)
2005-95
2006-92
2007-113 (Geelong)
2008-87 (Port)
No surprise that Geelong has been at the fore front of pushing tackling counts to new heights twice in the last 5 years.
Individual Player Differences
Just quickly, from another angle, your best individual Tackler in averages per game in 1987 was Wayne Johnston with 3.4 tackles per game (19 games) those who played more games just behind him, were around 2.8 per game.
In 2008 Domenic Cassisi had 6.3 tackles per game (21 games) with 5 or 6 leaders behind him close on his heels.
Foremost apologies for the messy way I posted this, I haven't mastered tables and I was doing it interrupted (sometimes work commitments are very inconsiderate when it comes to my PRE obligations :hihi )
Clearer it’s not a in depth / all encompassing look, but the facts I did pull up I thought was interesting and I thought some fellow footy tragics might take some interest in the results while chomping at the reins for the footy season proper to start.
As it was just a quick snapshot I just went back to 1987 and I only looked at team tackling scores for a game as I was interested in the trends of tackling overall by teams and couldn’t easily find total year scores for each team.
So these results are based on best and worst tackling records for a side in an AFL game.
In summary I found from 1987 - 2008;
THE WORST
Up until 1993, the worst tackle totals by sides for a entire game were under 10.
In 1987, two sides had not scored a tackle in a game!!!
In 1994/95 it slowly improved to 11 or 12. They dropped under 10 again till 2000. Since which the worst tackling sides have gradually but consistently improved their tackle counts.
In recent years the worst amount of tackles in a game have been around 20-25.
So we’ve gone from 0 on a couple of cases in 87, to the majority being under 10 from 1988 - 2000 to now be around 20-25 for the lowest tackle count by a side in a game, which I believe clearly shows the trend that we are most certainly tackling more now.
For the record, Richmond scored the lowest tackles in a game in 2008 at 24.
The best of the worst tacklers (
) from 1987 – 2008 has been St Kilda in 2006 with 25.THE BEST
On the other end of the scale, while there is still indication tackling has increased greatly it’s more complicated and yet still proves a OBVIOUS higher tackling rate trend.
The most tackles in a game in 1987, was Essendon with 62.
Interestingly, the lowest tackle record for most tackles in a game by a side, was in 1988 at just 40…where 3 sides achieved this! (Brisbane, Essendon & Carlton the last two both achieving this over Melbourne. What a bizarre year!)
From 1989 – 1998 the best tackles by a side in a game range from 51-65 (with one 49).
1998 was also the best to that date within the period tracked, with a result of 65, then it drops to 47 again in 1999, before spiking back up in 2000 with 67 and slightly dropping to 62 in 2001.
From there the increase in tackling becomes more obvious.
2002-74
2003-76
2004-100 (Geelong)
2005-95
2006-92
2007-113 (Geelong)
2008-87 (Port)
No surprise that Geelong has been at the fore front of pushing tackling counts to new heights twice in the last 5 years.
Individual Player Differences
Just quickly, from another angle, your best individual Tackler in averages per game in 1987 was Wayne Johnston with 3.4 tackles per game (19 games) those who played more games just behind him, were around 2.8 per game.
In 2008 Domenic Cassisi had 6.3 tackles per game (21 games) with 5 or 6 leaders behind him close on his heels.
Foremost apologies for the messy way I posted this, I haven't mastered tables and I was doing it interrupted (sometimes work commitments are very inconsiderate when it comes to my PRE obligations :hihi )