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Your Crikey guide to why AFL fantasy football is so damn popular

February 8, 2012 – 9:44 am, by Leigh Josey
   

It used to be that football season started when cricket season finished. Those were simpler times, when there wasn’t a 24/7 media cycle and you seldom heard about winter sports from October until March. But those days are long gone and part of the reason for a thirst on all things AFL (and this equally applies to our Canadian friends north of the Murray for rugby league) is the phenomenon that is fantasy football which opened for the 2012 season last Wednesday.

Once, you were engrossed in the preseason issues that concerned YOUR team: who your club drafted, how they are training, etc. Now, the preseason fortunes of particular players from teams you usually couldn’t stand become ridiculously important. Why does the average fantasy football fan spend more time on their phones, checking scores, than they do calling their mums? When will the ABS release data on — what I can only assume, with no scientific basis — the high number of marriage and relationship breakdowns due to fantasy footy?

Why indeed?

Les Wales, who writes at TooSerious — the AFL fantasy football site he created in 2006 — says that the biggest reason would have to be the rivalry factor and “whether it’s against colleagues at work, or just your mates, the built-up rivalry is fantastic.”

“Another big reason is that it adds spice to all games of football, not just when your team is playing.”

TooSerious is a sign of just how big this business has become. Wales started TooSerious as a way for his office competition to get an edge up on other fantasy football users. He released the software to the public a year later and then set up the website so that articles and other content could be published.

“We now have quite a vibrant community with eight writers, over 6000 registered users and 10s of thousands who stop by every day to read what’s said, or use the tools.”

For the sandgropers, the croweaters and the Victorians — and to AFL fans all around this great country and the world — fantasy football means either the AFL’s Dreamteam or News Limited’s Supercoach — and often both. They are cousins, slightly different, yet competing for the same share of a lucrative market that has experienced unprecedented growth.

“Fantasy sports is massive in this country. I have yet to walk into an office that hasn’t had a solid fantasy rivalry, whether in Supercoach or Dreamteam,” says Wales.

“Then there’s the amount of penetration it’s got in schools, it’s simply growing at a rate of knots. That said though, in the US, fantasy sports is a $5 billion dollar industry which grows by 7-10% each year, so I reckon it’s still got a long way to go!”

Adrian Appleyard, Community Manager of Australia’s most popular AFL news and forums website BigFooty, recalls when “Kildonan”, one of BigFooty’s many moderators, came to him with the proposal of setting up more forum boards to cater for the growing popularity of fantasy footy.

“Thankfully Kildonan was adamant about the need to get this going and he was clear about what he wanted to do, so I set up the boards and said go for it.”

“We have literally hundreds and hundreds of members in leagues organised through BigFooty, each with 16 players each. One or more of our leagues are constantly in the top 10 best performed leagues of each year.”

In a sign of how far it’s come, BigFooty now has four moderators running their Supercoach and Dreamteam boards.

Whilst the Australian fantasy football industry is in its relative infancy, the US industry is a behemoth.

In a press release in June 2010 by the Fantasy Sports Trade Association, which represents the fantasy sports industry in the US and Canada, it provided research conducted by IPSOS to conclude:

“Fantasy sports participation has grown over 60 percent the past four years as over 32 million people now actively playing in the U.S. and Canada, new research conducted by Ipsos for the Fantasy Sports Trade Association (FSTA) shows. This finding shows the highest participation numbers in the history of fantasy sports. One in five males played fantasy sports in the last year.”

The participation rate for AFL fantasy football in Australia may have grown even quicker, as the graph below attests:

The difference between Supercoach and Dreamteam comes down to the scoring.

The statistics for both games are provided by Champion Data, who provide a statistical service to AFL clubs, to the AFL media and to the fans. For footy nuts, its just-released 2012 AFL Prospectus is the bible of AFL analysis.

Champion Data’s Glenn Luff, the publisher of the AFL Prospectus, believes it’s the best measure out there for crunching AFL statistics. And they’ve been doing it for a while now.

“For Dreamteam, the scoring system is derived from our stats. Dreamteam is a very basic formula,” explains Luff.

“Supercoach is more involved from a Champion Data point of view because Supercoach take our Champion Data player rankings — which we’ve been doing for over 10 years now, a collation of all the stats that we do, there could be up to a hundred of those — and it brings that back to one number.”

“It’s a serious footy measure.”

The formula for coming up with the Champion Data player ranking is tightly guarded — it’s a bit like KFC’s secret spices or Coca-Cola’s secret ingredient “7X”. But if Champion Data’s secret ranking system is the result of a complex mathematical calculation, Champion Data’s involvement in the lucrative fantasy football in this country was far from planned.

“We fell into it”, recalls Luff, “it’s a byproduct of what we do.”

“When we started in the late 1990s we weren’t out there to hit the fantasy footy market. I don’t think anyone in Australia knew where it would head.”

“It was big in the States at the time but I don’t think we would have thought it would take off like this.”

However, Luff believes that Dreamteam and Supercoach have hit their peak because they “haven’t seen any significant growth in the last two years. I could be wrong, but that’s my gut feeling.”

If the ceiling has been hit, it is still a website traffic cash cow for the Herald Sun and for the AFL website — with fans still flocking to both destinations as the footy season quickly reaches us for 2012.

For the record, I’m a Supercoach man. So is Wales, although, he says, “I love Dreamteam as well. But the scoring system in Supercoach and the way it rewards efficiency in play really separates it from the pack.”

For Luff, as you’d expect, every second person on the street he knows asks him who they should bring into their team. Asked if gets tired of that, Luff responds, with a laugh, “a little.”

Appleyard hasn’t tried Supercoach or Dreamteam yet but its popularity, from his experience, cannot be questioned.

“Fantasy footy is not the biggest part of BigFooty, but it has become one of the events of the year that I will now call the Great Wall of China.

“These are events that you can see from outer space,  like the AFL grand final, trade week deadline and draft day, you can almost spot the exact date Dreamteam and Supercoach start and end from just looking at spikes and troughs on BigFooty’s traffic graph.”

And, like the Great Wall of China, fantasy footy is here for a long time to come.

***

Here’s your one-stop-shop for everything you’ll need to get into fantasy footy:

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If they made a movie about the Hobart Test…

December 13, 2011 – 10:17 am, by Leigh Josey
   

Following from my rant yesterday, I decided to make a poster of what the movie would look like…

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Forget a reshuffle, it’s time to bring out the axe

December 12, 2011 – 2:54 pm, by Leigh Josey
   

It’s fitting that on the day when the Gillard government announced a cabinet reshuffle, a devastating — yet thrilling — loss to New Zealand in the Second Test at Hobart may be the catalyst for the axe to be applied to the Australian cricket team.

Nathan Lyon, the groundskeeper-come-quality — yes, quality — Australian off spinner cast a forlorn figure as he was the last man out as Australia fell just eight runs short of recording yet another memorable Test win in Hobart. He left David Warner — the Twenty20 slogger who, against prevailing wisdom, has recast himself as an opening Test batsmen with mental fortitude that’s in short supply in this current Australian team — stranded on 123 not out. It’s a shame, as New Zealand’s historic win — surely one of their greatest — will overshadow Warner’s knock, despite him being named Man of the Match. New Zealand seamer Doug Bracewell may be aggrieved, considering his match winning 6/40 to bowl Australia out, but I am sure he won’t mind. The Kiwis beat their biggest rival, on their home soil — and most probably ended the careers of a few Aussies to boot.

After Crikey was sent out today I adjourned to the Mitre Tavern, the closest watering hole to Crikey HQ in the Melbourne CBD, to watch the final moments of the Test.

It’s funny what one hears at a pub when watching a sporting contest.

As the Warner/Lyon partnership battled valiantly in vain to get Australia across the line, a coterie of businessmen, beers in hand, provided, perhaps, the most astute analysis — to the amusement of the patrons gathered around the outdoor TV — on the Australian team I have heard.

“Hughes is fucked. Ponting is fucked. Hussey is fucked. And Haddin can just fuck right off. Then I will be OK.”

It’s hard to see the careers of those players continuing, despite — particularly in Ponting and Hussey’s case — fine service to the baggy green. A loss to New Zealand at home is about as bad as it can get.

It’s time to play the kids. James Patterson’s Man of the Series shows what playing talented youngsters can do if given the chance.

And, as an aside, John Howard would have never announced a cabinet reshuffle during the climax of a cricket Test.

A remarkable Test match that should see the remaking of the Australian Test team.

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Your one-stop All Blacks Rugby World Cup victory thread

October 24, 2011 – 10:25 am, by Leigh Josey
   

Well done New Zealand. The country’s greatest national achievement since it threw the One Ring into the fires of Mordor.

The New Zealand front pages today:

What the the New Zealand papers are saying:

Scoreline straight out of ’50s mud.

“No one could accuse New Zealand of not going over the top as Rugby World Cup hosts. The country fired its best shots, and then some. In winning the Webb Ellis Cup final though, the All Blacks were understated. Even a touch lucky.” — The New Zealand Herald

From the verge of Les Miserables to the day of glory.

“The heading writ large across the front page of the Evening Post back in 1999 was “Buggeur”, but this time it was looking like being “Les Miserables” until our national prayers were answered and Graham Henry became the Grinch that stole the French Christmas.” — The Dominion Post

Outgoing, flag-loving nation emerges from World Cup.

“In an inner-city Auckland hotel last Saturday night a half-cut reveller on his “Stag” night was handed a microphone and instructed to sing “God Defend New Zealand” in a bar jammed full of blank faces. Egged on by his mates he nervously stepped forward, gripped the microphone and began bumbling through the opening lines. Then a funny thing happened.” — The Press

The final haka…

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The internet:

We didn’t choke. But certainly gagged a little.

“And for the New Zealand All Blacks, it came down to a single point that separated their highly anticipated world championship from another ghastly four years in rugby wilderness.” — Kings of Commentary

All Blacks achieve crowning glory.

“It wasn’t pretty, but no one in New Zealand will be complaining. The job is done and the wait is over. New Zealand are officially the best team in the world – but only just.” — ESPN SCRUM

RWC Final 2011 – Initial thoughts.

“Many congratulations to the All Blacks – much deserved winners over the course of the tournament but boy did you ride your luck today.” — Total Flanker

Stephen Donald: From ugly duck to NZ’s darling.

“Piri who? The kick was barely over the goalposts before New Zealand forgot its former saviour and a new hero was born.” — Stuff.co.nz

One “All Blacks” Fan Stands Out In This Rugby World Cup Crowd Shot.

Via Deadspin:

A look at this year’s Rugby World Cup.

An infographic via On the Tryline:

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Collingwood supporter’s spelling fail at today’s AFL parade

September 30, 2011 – 1:39 pm, by Leigh Josey
   

Sometimes Collingwood fans make it too easy for the rest of us.*

Thanks to Crikey reader Dominic who took this photo of a dentist’s window on 20 Collins Street in Melbourne, at today’s AFL grand final parade.

*This post, when first published, had a spelling error. And yes, I find that ironic. And no, I don’t support Collingwood.

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Sri Lanka vs. Australia: 1st Test open thread: insert Lyon pun headline here

September 2, 2011 – 10:15 am, by Leigh Josey
   

Australia are 283 runs ahead with 4 wickets remaining in the second innings but the story of the First Test is Nathan Lyon’s incredible haul of 5-35 on debut.

Queue the nation’s subeditors…

For those that missed it you can watch his bowling performance here:

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On a pitch that has more spin than a Julia Gillard press conference it’s going to be hard for the Sri Lankans to turn this around.

When Australia bowls again today, watching Lyon have a crack at a 10 wicket debut will be compelling viewing. Have we finally found a world class spinner or it is just the pitch?

On Lyon, I’ll leave the last word to Jarrod Kimber, cricket writer extraordinaire, on his blog Cricket With Balls:

The problem is Nathan Lyon is just a man, he can probably turn water into wine when conditions favour it, but he’ll drown if he tries to walk on water.

It’s also possible that he is a false prophet, that this is just some random fluke that he can never repeat again.

And don’t say that can’t happen, I’ve still got my monogrammed “Jason Krejza is my saviour” dressing gown.

Some reading from around the traps:

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The Aussie Rules football innovation that should, but never will, happen

August 30, 2011 – 3:04 pm, by Crikey
   

Patrick Devery writes:

Season 2011 has been a stinker. Too many games have been woefully one-sided; only one team can win the premiership; four others have performed admirably; and you can forget the rest.

This trend is not only alarming, it is becoming institutional because divisions have opened between footy’s haves and have-nots that will never be bridged, regardless of AFL policy.

The problem is two-fold.

One, while the salary cap applies to on-field staff, no limit is placed on off-field spending. Well-off clubs are free to bolster their coaching, fitness and administrative staff while the others struggle.

I don’t believe regulation should be introduced to cap off-field spending but, increasingly, the well resourced clubs will dominate the competition.

Which brings me to the second prong of the AFL’s problem — one entirely of its own making.

Next year, the 18th club will be introduced into the competition. That means there will be 828 players, senior and rookie-listed, on club lists; 828 footballers being paid to play at the highest level.

That number is far too high.

The most noticeable outcome from the AFL’s almost evangelical desire to expand — one that will become its legacy — is the thinning out of talent. Too many average footballers are playing at the highest level.

In this environment, rather than levelling the playing field, the draft and salary cap only serve to heighten to divisions between the clubs in regard to off-field spending. When the talent is threadbare to begin with, the operational side of football clubs — the facilities, medical staff and expenditure, coaching infrastructure etc — becomes ever more important.

Port Adelaide, for example, will always struggle to develop and retain playing talent because the club has become a basket case. Draft concessions, AFL bail-outs and the salary cap can’t change that.

Aside from adopting a European soccer-style divisional system, featuring relegation and promotion (a system that will do nothing to redress the imbalance at club level in my opinion), there is only one course open to the AFL that would maintain the integrity of the competition.

That is to reduce the number of teams.

Imagine, just for a moment, if the Australian Football League consisted of 10 teams. One each in Queensland, New South Wales, Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania. Victoria (still the lifeblood of the sport) would have five teams: three in Melbourne; one coastal (call it Geelong if you like); and one central Victoria (based in Ballarat).

Each team would play the other twice in a season, once at home and once away. The ridiculous inequities of the current draw would be done away with.

If the current list sizes remained, that would mean 460 players would be featured in the sport’s elite competition – almost half of the number that will be running around in 2012. Resources would be channelled into just 10 clubs, not 18. Off-field spend amounts would be radically equalised with less clubs fighting for the same resources. Equally as important, a super-club in Adelaide, Perth or Launceston (or Hobart if you are a Cascade drinker) would be just as attractive to young footballers as one of the Melbourne clubs because of the equalisation of resources and facilities.

There would be 18 rounds of fierce home-and-away competition from teams (at least in theory) on very level footings in terms of talent. Finals football would feature the four, five or six teams (depending on which structure was employed) best performed in this new, streamlined competition. The quality of the football (or ‘brand’ if you are that way inclined) would be outstanding.

The game would have as many bases around Australia as it currently has except for the addition of a permanent team in Tassie. So the “national” aspect of the AFL would be retained, even enhanced.

Would there be problems with such a system? Just off the top of my head try a few of these:

  • Which clubs would stay and which would go? Think about the fight in WA or SA let alone the bloodbath that ensue in Melbourne if such a system was adopted. And would the reduced club numbers call for mergers, the destruction of some clubs or the creation of new ones? Would any club like to permanently relocate to Tasmania or central Victoria and wave goodbye to Melbourne forever? How many fans would this disenfranchise? (And we know how much disenfranchised fans terrify the AFL.)
  • Could an 18-round home-and-away competition generate the same revenue from broadcast rights as the current draw?
  • Would the “markets” that football codes prattle on about such as Gold Coast, Western Sydney, North Qld etc be opened up for those rival codes, fracturing the AFL’s fan base in what it sees as growth areas?
  • Would having just ten teams have a knock on effect on under-age participation with places on an AFL list almost twice as hard to come by?

Despite these issues (and myriad others I have not raised), I believe the 10-team competition has far more pros than cons.

Will it ever happen? Of course not. It is a pipe dream — the AFL has not shelled out countless millions of dollars in south-east Queensland and west Sydney just to pull the number of teams back.

But it’s a nice dream. One that might be worth reflecting on when Collingwood are 100 points up over GWS at half time next season.

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Game-in-a-Box: Out-of-the-box Tigers too slippery for the Eels

August 22, 2011 – 10:08 am, by Crikey
   

Pat Byrne, blogger and “Game-in-a-box” creator writes:

Round 24 of the season and the Wests Tigers met the Parramatta Eels at home. In Round 23, the Tigers spanked the Penrith Panthers and just scraped through by two points over the St George Illawarra Dragons. The Eels on the other hand were beaten by the Manly Sea Eagle in Round 23 and absolutely hammered by the South Sydney Rabbitohs, who put 56 points on them the week before.

The Eels were fighting to keep away from the wooden spoon and the Tigers still with a slight hope of getting into the top four.

It was the Tigers who looked a little sluggish to start but that quickly changed as the Eels made some mistakes and the Tigers hit a rhythm and started to hit their straps. First it was Lui who, after a Eels mistake, took the ball up to offload it to Ayshford who scored the first of his two in the 10th minute.

Then in the 22nd minute there was nothing really happening but then Marshall from about 35 metres out and to the left, made a quick offload to Heighington who passed quickly back inside to a flying Moltzen who went through the line to pass to Utai who scored.

The Tigers third try came from the Eels trying to cover up a Marshall kick on the 40 metre line just left of centre. Utai tackled him and managed to get the ball back to sort of “lay” it back between his legs almost Rugby Union style, to Marshall.  He does his normal dummy, step, step, step to bamboozle everyone and then got away to score near the left post.  It was 16 to nil at this stage and this is how it stayed for the remainder of eth half.

The Tigers dominated by more than 20% with two big waves of domination and a third lesser wave at the end of the half.  Not unlike the Broncos three waves against Sharks a while back.

I was thinking the Tigers were going to go on and continue to bury the Eels but to the Eels.  It wasn’t as if the Eels went up a huge notch.  They didn’t, but they did get some good possession.  But Tigers seemed to switch off, perhaps thinking they had already won and only needed to be in neutral.

So the Eels went in for two quick tries.  The first in the 47th minute on back of penalty on far left.  Then from a play the ball 10 metres out and to the left, it went to Hayne who made a long wide pass to an unmarked Hicks who went over near the right post.  Their second and last try was a short while later, it was the last tackle after an ordinary set of six by the Eels.  Hayne kicked it from left of the field to the right from about 20 metres out.  The Tigers bombed the catch on the line and it bounced forward to Smith who juggled it a wee bit but managed to grab it and put it down over the line near the right post. It should have been “game on” from here with four points difference but it wasn’t to be.  Ayshford scored his second when, from a scrum on the halfway, the Tigers went right.  Ayshford got the ball and had a one-on-one with Hayne who, went for the strip.  But Ayshford struggled free and got into the open to score out wide right.

The Tigers got a penalty to put them 12 points up in the 65th minute and then Farah popped over a field goal in the 76th minute to ensure the Eels had to score three times to win.  The Tigers then topped it off with a try just short of the final hooter almost when Marshall got ball in the middle of the park and about 18 metres out from the Eels line.  They went right, and two passes out, Ryan on the right wing found himself in the clear to go over near the right post.

In the end, the Tigers were sometimes brilliant and the Eels, although tried hard at times, often woeful. Hopefully, Kearney has something up his sleeve for next season, one of which might be getting Hayne to pick up his work rate and to keep alert after he does something instead of standing there waiting for whatever he did to pay off … which it sometimes doesn’t.

The Tigers?  They can’t afford to go off the boil like they when they get to the finals.  The other teams like the Storm and Broncos will put them to the sword … big time. The Tigers managed to do the Eels quickly early but went off the boil only to have to come back in the last quarter.

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Tri Nations Game-in-a-Box: All Blacks put the wobble back into the Wallabies

August 8, 2011 – 10:35 am, by Crikey
   

Pat Byrne, blogger and “Game-in-a-box” creator writes:

With each team coming off a good win against the Second String-Boks, what was this one going to be like?  The commentary around the game has been interesting.  The Wallabies being called arrogant and not respectful after Beale’s comments. The age of the All Black squad versus the youth of the Wallabies. The fact the Wallabies haven’t won at Eden Park since before most of this Wallabies squad was even born.

Please note this was an All Blacks home game at Eden Park but I will have all Wallabies games with them in the upper half of the Game Tempo section.

The Wallabies came out aiming to spread it wide early and play the game fast and with width it would seem. But the All blacks were ready and with their up in your face (slightly off-side perhaps) defence, Cooper had his options crowded and rushed. It was probably the plan, but Cooper seemed to be standing deeper than he normally would in order to challenge the line.  But it stifled his play somewhat I reckon. He is good in traffic and doesn’t need much space, so long as that traffic doesn’t get the opportunity to react before he gets to them.

However, after all the talk about this young Wallabies squad not respecting the All Blacks, it seemed to me that is exactly what happened. They didn’t respect them enough and they were too fancy, too early. In Rugby League there is this concept that you need to first dominate the ruck with go forward before you can let your backs loose. I sometimes think this applies to Rugby Union and this game demonstrated exactly that I felt.

The All Blacks scored their first try through Nonu after some good lead up. How do you actually stop a guy of that size from one metre out and when he is that low? Answer … you can’t!

The All Blacks dominated for most of this half from that point with a long period from about 10 minutes through to 20 minutes and a big bit of domination from about 27 minutes to 33 minutes. The second half story was similar except the All Blacks kept up a constant pressure and the Wallabies scored largely against that overall dominance. That first Wallaby try was from a turnover and it showed just how dangerous Beale and Ioane really are. Beale hitting a Genia pass at pace, that is what started it.

It looked like they might get back into the game a bit but the Wallabies blew it with a soft try to the All Blacks straight from the kick off.  The restart was gathered in by the All Blacks with Smith going down the right side to give it to Sivivatu who scored.  There may have been a knock on in the regather from the kickoff, but that is no excuse for the Wallabies going missing in defence. I have marked this as a turning point.  Before this, the Wallabies looked like they just might start a comeback … but if you want to do that you can’t go to sleep! AND you can’t go to sleep against this wily old All Black side. They know every nuance and rhythm of a game. The Wallabies scored the last try, with some good work down the right side. But it was too late.

The All Blacks dominated all over the paddock.  That domination was characterised by aggressive defence and aggression at the breakdown.  Their physicality was certainly higher than the Wallabies so Deans needs to get them fitter and stronger and/or put some different cattle on the paddock. Higginbotham is a must and perhaps instead of Elsom. Big call for Deans but Horwill could be a better Captain. Elsom seemed to go missing at times and his hanging out on the wing defies logic I think.  He bombed a try in the 18th minute on the left wing.  There was some big space and he wasn’t fast enough to make it count and the spaced closed. I noted in the 27th minute … “Wallabies looking a bit wobbaly and this is where Elsom needs to stand up.“  But I didn’t see any signs of him doing that.  The last Wallaby try was scored by him out on the right wing. What was he doing there again?

BUT … and here is the slight promise. The Wallabies scored two tries to three despite being dominated.  Possession was around even with the All Blacks 52% to the Wallabies 48%.  The Wallaby scrum wasn’t pushed all over the park. BUT … the All Blacks dominated 6.50% for the first half, 9.00% for the second half and 7.75% overall. In fact that domination almost exactly reflects the score ultimately. BUT … that score could have been different. O’Connor missed nine points with three misses from three attempts.

The All Blacks were the better side by a good margin and have put a bit of a wobble into the Wallabies World Cup campaign and sent a message to the rest of the world.

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Game-in-a-Box: Broncos kick sharks out of contention

August 1, 2011 – 11:20 am, by Crikey
   

Pat Byrne, blogger and “Game-in-a-box” creator writes:

This game was in some ways going to define the future for both teams.  Whether the Brisbane Broncos could stick with the top four and whether the Cronulla Sharks could get back on track and make a run for the finals.

The Broncos were coming off a good win against the Gold Coast Titans in Round 19 and a loss, not a bad one but a loss nonetheless, against the Melbourne Storm in Round 20.  The Sharks were coming off two losses. A thumping by the St George Dragons in Round 19 and a zip score against the Newcastle Knights (18 to nil) in Round 20.

So, the Broncos needed to get their youngsters back on track and the Sharks needed to prove they could win without their inspirational captain Paul Gallen.

Well … it was slaughter!  Six straight tries to the Broncos in the first half to make it 34 to nil until the last minute of the half where the Sharks finally go onto the board.

Hodges was a handful for the Broncos down that right side (the Sharks left) and he scored two of his three in the first half.  He has this amazing ability to get through the defence even though he doesn’t seem to be moving that fast.  I think his big steps and huge fend makes him look a little a little casual but he accelerates off a fend to make him incredibly lethal.  The Broncos fifth try came when Hodges was eventually put down, but he immediately played the ball only for Yow Yeh to demonstrate what a handful he is (and what he is going to be in the years to come) when he fends, bounces and twists to score.

The Sharks only try for the first half came from a lovely little grubber.  A little against the flow of the game but they did get a bit of possession and managed to build a bit of pressure late.

The Broncos dominated that first half by 40.25%!!  The largest figure I have ever recorded for a half and it showed in the score.  They were all over the Sharks.  You can see from the Game Tempo line, it was like a series of “waves”.  Three actually, each bigger than the last.  It was the Broncos riding those waves, sweeping the Sharks ahead of them.  Completely spanked their tales!  The Sharks were never going to win with that sort of domination against them and the possession for that first half was 65% to the Broncos and 35% to the Sharks.

The second half saw the Sharks come out and dominate for a while with a try from a penalty the result.  But then the Broncos arm-wrestled the dominance off them again to post two tries making it 46-12.  With that eighth try requiring the video referee to rule that Wallace grounded the ball with his little pinky!!

But yet again the Sharks managed to get through the Broncos defence at the end of the half with a lovely try from the hard running and hard working Jeremy Smith.

In the end, it was a real flogging for a brave Sharks.  They managed to keep the Broncos to two tries only in the second half.  But it was the absolute shellacking in that first half that took the game from them before 30 minutes was up really.  A 40% plus domination in the first half, became a 2% domination in the second half for a 21% domination overall.  That was a real reflection of the game.  Six tries to one in the first half and two tries each in the second half.  The Broncos dominated possession overall 57% to 43% after the Sharks hardly got a look-in during the first half.  If you look at the possession bars, it is easy to see.

This game … the Broncos proved they are a top four side and that first half proved they can go all the way.  The Sharks …they are gone for the year and even Paul Gallen won’t be able to bring them back.

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