The Blackwood Football Club is aiming for a record it has not achieved in the last eleven seasons. Round 6 of the Hills Football League sees the Echunga Demons Football Club travel to Blackwood Hill Oval to take on Blackwood. The Woods will be aiming to make it five wins on the trot to start 2017, something which they have not done in any of the past eleven seasons.
Since the Echunga Football Club have come back into the Central Division ranks in 2014, there have been seven matches between the sides, including one elimination final in 2014. The record currently sits at two wins to Blackwood and five wins to Echunga. Of the seven matches, three have been played at the Blackwood Hill Oval with Blackwood winning one from three. The results from the seven matches played since 2014 are as follows:
– 2016: Blackwood defeated Echunga (39 points)
– 2016: Blackwood defeated Echunga (107 points)
– 2015: Blackwood defeated by Echunga (25 points)
– 2015: Blackwood defeated by Echunga (21 points)
– 2014: Blackwood defeated by Echunga (29 points)
– 2014: Blackwood defeated by Echunga (22 points)
– 2014: Blackwood defeated by Echunga (19 points) (Elimination Final)
So far in 2017:
Attack: Blackwood rank #1 for points per game scoring 108 on average per match. This compares with Echunga who rank #6 scoring on average 71 points per match.
Defence: In terms of defence, Blackwood continue to be hard to score again. They are ranked #2 in terms of least points conceded per game, only allowing 51 points per match. This compares to Echunga who rank #5 for defence, allowing 74 points per game on average.
Differential: Combining the above two, Blackwood has a differential of +58 which ranks them #2 in the competition to date. They were overtaken by Hahndorf after the matches of Round 5. As for Echunga they rank #6 with a differential of -3 for Season 2017.
Improvement:
Blackwood have improved +35 in terms of differential on 2016. This ranks them #3 in terms of improvement. This compares with Echunga who are the most improved side for differential in 2017, jumping by +72 from 2016 (-75 to -3).
Quarters won:
Blackwood has won 75% of quarters (12 of 16) played in 2017. This compares with Echunga who have won 55% (11 of 20). Both these sides are sitting better than 2016 with Blackwood improving by 20% and Echunga improving by a whopping 183%.
*Echunga only won 14 of 72 quarters they played in 2016 and amazingly only 2 from 36 quarters played (6%) between Round 10 and Round 18 of 2016. In the same time Blackwood won 61% of quarters*
Key Echunga players:
Jesse Aish – He has kicked 116 goals in 50 games (2.32 per game on average) since 2014
Luke Carey – The former skipper of the Crows SANFL team, he is in the best players 75% of games played since 2014 including 100% of the time in 2017.
Clint Guy – An underrated player he has been in the best 74% of the time in the last couple of seasons.
Dylan Reinbrecht – He has come to the club in 2017 after many years in the SANFL system and Norwood and Glenelg. He has been in the best 100% of games played in 2017.
Joel Aish – A damaging player up forward who has kicked 32% of Echunga the total goals for Echunga in 2017 (16 goals @ 3.2 per game).
Other statistics:
Echunga’s strong quarters in 2017 are their second and third quarters winning 80% of them. They average 50 points in these quarters combined whilst only conceding 38.
Will the goals be spread this week? 66% of the total goals for Echunga in 2017 have come from four players: Aish (16), Carter (7), Redden (6) and Carey (4). They are ranked #3 in the competition for the highest percentage from four players. This compares with Blackwood whose top four goals kickers have kicked 45% of their total goals in 2017. This ranks them #9 in the competition to date. (The competition average to date is 60%).
Fun fact: Looking back into the past, since 2010 the average differential needed to make the Grand Final is +33. The only sides greater than that to date in 2017 are Hahndorf (+65), Blackwood (+58) and Uraidla (+41). Could the race be down to three already?
As mentioned above, Blackwood will be looking to set a new record and start the season with five straight wins. They haven’t started a season in the last 11 years with five straight wins. The records read:
– 2006: 0 wins, 5 loss (SF loss)
– 2007: 4 wins, 1 loss (PF loss)
– 2008: 4 wins, 1 loss (GF loss)
– 2009: 4 wins, 1 loss (SF loss)
– 2010: 4 wins, 1 loss (GF loss)
– 2011: 4 wins, 1 loss (GF loss)
– 2012: 1 win, 4 losses
– 2013: 2 wins, 3 losses
– 2014: 2 wins, 3 losses (EF loss)
– 2015: 2 wins, 3 losses
– 2016: 4 wins, 1 loss (PF loss)
Milestones
This weekend we celebrate the milestones of two senior players:
Brad Jones – 150 Games
Chad Simmons – 200 Games
See you at the football
#honourthecolours
