FRIDAY focus: round nine

Collingwood v Geelong at the MCG

• Collingwood has received the fewest free kicks of any team in the competition this season.

• Collingwood has scored over 100 points in four of its six games at the MCG this season.

• Leon Davis had a career-high 27 disposals and five rebound 50s against the Saints last week.

• In the past four weeks, Geelong is scoring goals from 26 per cent of its inside 50 entries – the second worst strike rate of any team in the AFL.

• Geelong is averaging 12 contested marks a game this season – ranked No.1 in the AFL.

Carlton v Fremantle at Telstra Dome

• In the past four rounds, Marc Murphy ranks No.1 in the AFL for inside 50s, second in kicks, equal sixth in marks and equal third in uncontested marks.

• Carlton has averaged 116 short kicks per game this season – 10 more than any other side in the competition.

• Fremantle has had more inside 50s than Carlton in each of their past five meetings.

• The Dockers have conceded 43 goals in the final quarter this season – the most of any team in the competition. They have outscored their opposition only once in the final quarter and have conceded a goal from 41 per cent of the opposition’s forward 50 entries in final terms.

• Fremantle has won the contested possession count in just two games this season and has won the count in only one of its past 10 interstate trips.

Port Adelaide v Sydney at AAMI Stadium

• Port Adelaide has won the contested possession count in seven of their past eight games against the Swans, however this season they are ranked 16th in the competition at winning the disputed ball.

• Kane Cornes is the only Port Adelaide player to average more than 20 disposals in the past four games against the Swans. In that time he has averaged 22 disposals, four marks and four clearances.

• In the past month, the Swans have averaged 68 tackles a game – the most of any team. 

• The Swans concede an average of 179 uncontested possessions per game this season – 46 fewer than any other team.

• Jarred Moore leads the competition with 12 goal assists so far this season. He ranks second at the Swans for inside 50s, equal sixth in contested possessions and 10th in tackles.

Essendon v Richmond at the MCG

• Essendon has had a disposal efficiency of 73 per cent in the midfield this season – the second lowest percentage of any side.

• Essendon has won just one opening quarter this season – they have scored only 20 goals in the opening terms this season – the second fewest in the competition. 

• Matthew Lloyd has averaged five goals per game in his last four clashes against the Tigers.

• Richmond has had a goal scoring accuracy of 66 per cent this season – second in the competition.

• Matthew Richardson has averaged 20 disposals, 13 marks, four inside 50s and four goals in his past four games against the Bombers.

West Coast v Adelaide at AAMI Stadium

• West Coast has had a better kicking efficiency than its opposition in only one game this season – in round one against the Lions.

• Chris Masten finished with a career-high 21 disposals, seven hardball-gets and four clearances last week against the Kangaroos.

• Adelaide has kicked 79 per cent of its goals from within the corridor this season – the second most of any side.

• Adelaide scored 150 points last week against the Demons – its highest score of the season. It is averaging 26 more points per game this season compared to last.

• In round two against the Eagles, Nathan Bock finished with a career-high of 32 disposals. He also finished the match with 10 marks, seven loose-ball gets and six rebound 50s.

Brisbane Lions v St Kilda at the Gabba

• The Lions have had 59 inside 50s per game in the past four weeks – the most of any side.

• The Lions have won its past four opening quarters but has lost each of its past four final quarters.

• The Saints have kicked just four goals from outside the 50-metre arc this season – the fewest of any team in the competition.

• Sam Fisher continues to win a lot of the ball for a defender as he had 30 disposals, 10 marks and seven rebound 50s last week against Collingwood. He ranks second at the club in kicks and third in disposals.

• Nick Dal Santo has had a disposal efficiency of 83 per cent this season – the fourth highest of the top 50 ball winners in the competition this season.

Melbourne v Hawthorn at the MCG

• Melbourne’s scoring accuracy of 56 per cent in 2008 is the worst in the AFL.

• Melbourne has had fewer long kicks than its opponents in each of its past 10 MCG games.

• Hawthorn has averaged 10 clanger kicks per game this season – the fewest of any side.

• Hawthorn has conceded fewer than 100 points in each of its past nine MCG games.

• Jordan Lewis played his best game of the season last week against Port Adelaide, racking up 36 disposals – an equal career-high. He had 16 kicks, 20 handballs, six contested possessions, six inside 50s and six clearances in a dominant display.

Western Bulldogs v North Melbourne at Telstra Dome

• The Bulldogs have scored a goal from 35 per cent of their forward 50 entries this season – the best in the AFL. They are also the most efficient side in the competition in front of goal with a goal scoring accuracy of 66 per cent.

• The Bulldogs have scored at least 112 points in each of the opening eight rounds of the season - only the second time in the history of the game that any side has achieved this.

• North Melbourne has had 112 running bounces in 2008 – the fewest of any side.

• In the past four rounds, North Melbourne has had a goal scoring accuracy of 56 per cent from set shots – ranked 15th in the AFL in that time.

• Lindsay Thomas scored 11 goals in the opening five rounds of the season but has booted only one in the past three games.