With the 2022 AFL season hitting its midpoint, Victoria University and Western Bulldogs analyst Sam McIntosh, PhD, has put together a summary of the Bulldogs’ season so far, as well as some insight into what the stats are saying.
The VU Data Lab was created during the 2021 AFL Finals series to give fans a deeper look at the stats behind the Bulldogs’ performances, and has continued into 2022 as a weekly social media segment.
The VU Data Lab looks into the performance of players using concepts outlined by the AFL Player Ratings. The main components investigated are centred around the nature in which each player takes possession of the ball, the improved equity which results from their disposal of the ball, as well as their defensive actions and the impact this has on their opponent’s ability to effectively possess and dispose of the ball.
THE SEASON SO FAR
Following on from last season, we’ve seen the Bulldogs again cement their game around excelling at winning the ball from stoppages, and elite ball use in general play.
As it stands, the Bulldogs are rated the number one team in the league for both areas, with the combined effect contributing to them also being the best rated team at scoring from stoppages.
The main contributors will come as no surprise, with Marcus Bontempelli, Jack Macrae, Tom Liberatore, Josh Dunkley and Adam Treloar leading the way at stoppages, as they’ve done in previous years. However, the team has had an increased contribution to stoppage wins by both Tim English and Bailey Smith.
Elite ball use in general play has also been a pillar of the Bulldogs’ game off half-back with Bailey Dale, Caleb Daniel and Ed Richards all featuring within the top 15 general defenders from cumulative ball use in general play, up until the bye rounds.
PLAYERS ON THE RISE
Western Bulldogs have again been on the higher end of players used, with 36 different players partaking across the first 12 rounds of the current season (second most in the competition, behind West Coast).
Like last year, this has seen an increased use of younger and less experienced players. After starting the season with three games in the VFL, mature aged recruit Robbie McComb made his debut in round six and has managed to cement himself as a valuable contributor on the wing and up forward. His performance has improved across his first six matches and he has managed to outperform his expected range of performance twice so far.
After just five matches in 2021, and spending most of 2020 on either a wing or as a half forward, Ed Richards has settled himself back into a rebounding defensive role. His elite ball use in general play has been excellent, leading him to be one of Bulldogs’ most improved players this year. His performance has been consistent across the first 12 matches, where he has exceeded his expected range of performance in five matches. He is yet to put together a performance that doesn’t reach his expected range.
Tim English made a notable return from injury and illness against West Coast in round 11, recording the Bulldogs’ highest rated individual performance so far this season. English has elevated his game this season, and sits as the number one ruckman in the competition for score involvements, metres gained (both effective and assisted), as well as overall ball use.
Sam McIntosh currently works for the Western Bulldogs as a List and Recruitment analyst where he analyses and interprets data on both AFL and talent pathways players. Sam is also a researcher with Victoria University where he analyses player performance data in various team sports to assist sporting organisations improve their decision-making process.
