STATS CENTRAL Blues bag three straight - VFL

STATS CENTRAL: Blues bag three straight

The Northern Blues haven’t made the Peter Jackson VFL finals since changing their name from the Northern Bullants in 2012, but their 2017 season is on track to be different.

After an opening-round loss to Port Melbourne by 29 points, the fourth-placed Blues have reeled off wins against Williamstown by 21 points, Coburg by 62 points and then Collingwood by 13 points.

Josh Fraser’s outfit is doing it in the same fashion as aligned AFL team Carlton, which has claimed impressive victories over Sydney and Collingwood under Brendon Bolton in the last two weeks.

Carlton is the AFL’s top-ranked team for kicks per game and the bottom-ranked team for handballs per game through seven rounds, while Northern has recorded an average kick-to-handball ratio of 1.6 across its three wins compared to a ratio of 1.2 for its vanquished opponents.

Ex-Port Adelaide (AFL) off-season recruit Cam O’Shea (pictured) has disposed of the ball by foot 53 times in those three games, while Blaine Boekhorst (47 kicks), captain Tom Wilson (35) and David Cuningham (33) have also been prolific.

This style of play means the VFL Blues have conceded the third-fewest total points through four rounds, as they safely control the ball for longer periods of time and make it difficult for the opposition to score quickly if turnovers occur. It’s also a direct way of moving the ball and means Northern is the VFL’s fourth-ranked team for inside-50s per game.

There’s a noticeable style to the AFL and VFL Blues when they don’t have the ball too – they apply manic pressure. Carlton is the AFL’s second-ranked team for tackles per game and Northern has out-tackled its last three opponents by an average of 17 despite winning more of the ball against Williamstown and Coburg.

Boekhorst, Andrew Gallucci, Nick Graham, Sam Kerridge, Wilson and even big man Liam Jones have all recorded seven or more tackles in single games during the VFL team’s winning streak.

It’s a potentially successful formula for the developing Blues: Don’t let the opposition control the ball – and if they do have it, get it back quickly.

Round 4 keys to victory:

3: Footscray and Richmond are the top two teams for total points scored in 2017 and they put on a scoring show in Round 4. The Bulldogs won by seven points in a 118-111 result, with AFL-listed key forward Jack Redpath slotting three majors (six for the match) in his team’s eight-goal final quarter to help seal a thrilling victory.

17: Sandringham’s hardened bodies proved the difference in a 14-point win against a developing North Ballarat outfit. The Zebras weathered the Roosters’ intense pressure to top the contested possession count by 17, Jack Lonie winning a round-high 19 and Dylan Weickhardt recording 15 with just three uncontested possessions.

60: Werribee’s defence weathered 60 inside-50s from Casey to defeat the Demons by 13 points. The Tigers conceded a goal from just 16 per cent of opposition inside-50s while scoring a major from 31 per cent of their own (13 goals from 42 inside-50s). Matt Hanson had a game-high seven inside-50s for the victors.

Round 4 stats leaders:

KICKS
Jack Lonie	Sandringham	27
Jake Melksham	Casey Demons	26
James Cousins	Box Hill Hawks	23
Matthew Scharenberg	Collingwood	22
Eli Templeton	Port Melbourne	22
Shane Savage	Sandringham	22
Cam O'Shea	Northern Blues	21
Sam Darley	Richmond	20
Tom Ruggles	Geelong	19
Andrew Moore	Box Hill Hawks	18
Nick O'Brien	Essendon	18
Ricky Henderson	Box Hill Hawks	17
David Mirra	Box Hill Hawks	17
Mitch White	Casey Demons	17
James Ferry	Essendon	17

HANDBALLS
Scott Selwood	Geelong	20
Jarryd Blair	Collingwood	19
Ben Jolley	Williamstown	17
Thomas Gribble	Werribee	17
Tom Atkins	Geelong	17
Nick O'Brien	Essendon	16
James Tsitas	Geelong	16
Shane Biggs	Footscray	15
Nick Jamieson	Footscray	15
Luke Dunstan	Sandringham	15
Craig Bird	Essendon	15
Dylan Clarke	Essendon	15
Nicholas Buykx	Werribee	15
Daniel McKenzie	Sandringham	15
Mack Rivett	Port Melbourne	15

MARKS
Sam Dunell	Williamstown	13
Matthew Scharenberg	Collingwood	13
Jack Redpath	Footscray	12
Connor Menadue	Richmond	10
Ryan Gardner	Geelong	10
David Mirra	Box Hill Hawks	10
James Ferry	Essendon	10
Bailey Dale	Footscray	9
Jordan Lisle	Port Melbourne	9
Nick O'Brien	Essendon	8
Blaine Boekhorst	Northern Blues	8
Alex Hickey	Geelong	8
Cam O'Shea	Northern Blues	8
Ricky Henderson	Box Hill Hawks	8
Tom Ruggles	Geelong	8

HITOUTS
Braydon Preuss	Werribee	71
Jason Holmes	Sandringham	56
Nick Meese	Williamstown	51
Tom Campbell	Footscray	35
Jack Fitzpatrick	Box Hill Hawks	34
Tom Goodwin	Coburg	31
Tom Bellchambers	Essendon	29
Mitch King	Casey Demons	28
Jesse White	Collingwood	26
Andrew Phillips	Northern Blues	24
Tim English	Footscray	22
Ryan Abbott	Geelong	20
Khan Haretuku	Port Melbourne	16
Ty Vickery	Box Hill Hawks	13
Matt Korcheck	Northern Blues	11

TACKLES
Nick Meese	Williamstown	11
James Munro	Casey Demons	11
Jake Melksham	Casey Demons	10
Jordan Jones	Werribee	10
Kade Answerth	Sandringham	10
Sam Lloyd	Richmond	9
Nick Rippon	North Ballarat	9
Brandon White	Sandringham	9
Andrew Gallucci	Northern Blues	9
Luke Dunstan	Sandringham	9
Lachlan Cassidy	North Ballarat	9
Declan Keilty	Casey Demons	8
Matt Johnston	North Ballarat	8
Declan Mountford	Werribee	8
Will Hams	Box Hill Hawks	8

2017 LEADING GOALKICKERS
VFL		Last Rnd	Total
Paddy McCartin	Sandringham	2	14
Ben Lennon	Richmond	3	12
Sam Lloyd	Richmond	2	11
Jack Fitzpatrick	Box Hill Hawks	2	10
Jordan Lisle	Port Melbourne	1	10
Angus Scott	Casey Demons	2	10
Rowan Marshall	Sandringham	3	9
Tyson Stengle	Richmond	3	9
Ty Vickery	Box Hill Hawks	3	9
James Stewart	Essendon	3	8

Development League		Last Rnd	Total
Will Murphy	Box Hill Hawks	BYE	9
Thomas Wilkinson	Williamstown	_	7
Corey Rich	Sandringham	2	7
Julian Dobosz	Sandringham	4	7
Jeremy Gleeson	Port Melbourne	INJ	6
Sam Fowler	Northern Blues	BYE	6
Samuel De Soysa	Port Melbourne	1	6
Nathan Smith	Sandringham	2	6
Nicholas Ebinger	Williamstown	3	6
Cameron McRorie	Coburg	_	5

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STATS CENTRAL: Blues bag three straight

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