WHAT do Carlton midfielder Lochie O'Brien and Gold Coast forward Alex Sexton have in common?
The pair have been starting substitutes in four of the six rounds this year, the most of all players in the AFL.
Interestingly, another outside runner in Sydney's Matt Roberts and a goalsneak in Melbourne's Jake Melksham have been starting subs on three occasions, indicating the types of player clubs are leaning towards for their 23rd man.
Clubs are employing a broad mix when it comes to the age of the starting sub.
Adelaide tends toward youth (Ned McHenry, Harry Schoenberg, Chayce Jones, Tyler Brown and Riley Thilthorpe), Essendon varies (Nick Hind, Ben Hobbs, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, Dyson Heppell, Matt Guelfi) and North Melbourne has usually opted for a more experienced player (Daniel Howe, Hugh Greenwood, Liam Shiels and Will Phillips).
Interestingly, 79 individual players (filling a total of 108 spots) have started as substitutes, while 100 different players have been subbed off, meaning only eight players – Harrison Jones, Zaine Cordy, Joel Amartey, Jordon Butts, Luke Shuey and Matt Taberner – have been given the tap on the shoulder on multiple occasions after starting the game in the 22.
There has yet to be an occasion this year when a club has not opted to use its sub.
Obviously, injury has an impact on just who is removed from the game, with 43 of the 108 moves occurring due to an injured player.
MEDICAL ROOM Check out the full injury list
Nine players have been subbed due to concussion, eight with hamstring issues and five with knee complaints, while 44 of the 108 players subbed off have been key forwards, defenders or rucks, some of whom were injured.
Most involvements in substitutions
|
Player |
Sub on |
Sub off |
Total |
|
Lochie O'Brien (Carl) |
4 |
0 |
4 |
|
Alex Sexton (GC) |
4 |
0 |
4 |
|
Matt Roberts (Syd) |
3 |
1 (injury) |
4 |
|
Reef McInnes (Coll) |
2 |
1 |
3 |
|
Harrison Jones (Ess) |
0 |
3 (one injury) |
3 |
|
Adam Kennedy (GWS) |
2 |
1 |
3 |
|
Conor Stone (GWS) |
2 |
1 |
3 |
|
Jake Melksham (Mel) |
3 |
0 |
3 |
|
Hugh Greenwood (NM) |
2 |
1 |
3 |
|
Zaine Cordy (StK) |
0 |
3 |
3 |
|
Toby McLean (WB) |
2 |
1 |
3 |
St Kilda coach Ross Lyon has subbed tall forward Zaine Cordy off on three occasions – the most of any player for non-injury reasons – when looking for some extra run late in the game.
Fellow tall Harrison Jones has also been subbed off in three games, one of which was due to an ankle issue.
Roberts jumps into the top bracket after last weekend's knee injury saw him subbed off against Geelong.
Timing of substitutions
|
|
1st |
QT |
2nd |
HT |
3rd |
3QT |
4th |
|
ADEL |
1 |
|
|
|
3 |
2 |
|
|
BRIS |
|
|
|
|
1 |
3 |
2 |
|
CARL |
|
|
2 |
|
|
3 |
1 |
|
COLL |
|
|
1 |
|
3 |
1 |
1 |
|
ESS |
|
|
1 |
|
4 |
|
1 |
|
FREM |
|
|
1 |
|
4 |
|
1 |
|
GCS |
|
|
|
|
5 |
1 |
|
|
GEEL |
|
1 |
|
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
GWS |
1 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
3 |
|
|
HAW |
|
|
1 |
1 |
4 |
|
|
|
MELB |
1 |
|
|
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
|
NTH |
|
1 |
|
2 |
3 |
|
|
|
PORT |
|
|
1 |
|
3 |
1 |
1 |
|
RICH |
|
|
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
2 |
|
STK |
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
4 |
|
SYD |
1 |
|
2 |
|
|
1 |
2 |
|
WCE |
|
|
1 |
|
3 |
2 |
|
|
WBD |
1 |
|
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
Total |
5 |
2 |
12 |
8 |
41 |
21 |
19 |
|
% |
4.6 |
1.9 |
11.1 |
7.4 |
38.0 |
19.4 |
17.6 |
The most substitutes are made in the third term, generally when teams who are behind try and inject some pace into the game.
Three-quarter time is also a popular moment to flick the switch, the coaches having had a few minutes of breathing space in order to make the call.
St Kilda likes to leave its subs till the last quarter; Stuart Dew is a fan of a third-term switch at the Suns; while Sam Mitchell has always made Hawthorn's call before the final break.
