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Hasler's gone berserk in today's paper about the 2-7 penalty count that went against his team. He should have looked at the stats! He was up against the most "disciplined" team of the last decade.
Despite being the joke of the league for much of this time, with a rabble of clapped out, overpaid hacks under-performing on the field, their "discipline", it would seem, is exemplary. In only one year - 2006 - did they give away more penalties than they received.
As a point of comparison, let's look at a notoriously "undisciplined" team in the same period - say, the Sydney Roosters. The penalty differentials for the two teams since 2004 are:
Souths: +34 +10 -22 +20 +28 +23 +16 +13 +17... Total: +139
Roosters: +28 -5 -19 0 -37 -50 -46 -17 -8.... Total: -154
The penalty differential between the two sides is therefore 293. Our annual handicap compared to the Rabbitohs is 32.
The way Rugby League works nowadays is that the majority of tries come on the back of penalties. Souths certainly would not have beaten the Tigers or the Dogs without this assistance.
We must do something to address this culture of penalty-giving at the Roosters. It is an entrenched problem that seems to be woven into the fabric of our jerseys.
I am very impressed by the insight of many Chookpen members. What advice would you give to our coaching staff to overcome this handicap?
(For the record, I think the Rabbitohs are in with a big chance this year, particularly if the penalties continue to flow in the way they seemingly always have. They're on track to have the biggest positive penalty differential for a season since records were first kept.)
Despite being the joke of the league for much of this time, with a rabble of clapped out, overpaid hacks under-performing on the field, their "discipline", it would seem, is exemplary. In only one year - 2006 - did they give away more penalties than they received.
As a point of comparison, let's look at a notoriously "undisciplined" team in the same period - say, the Sydney Roosters. The penalty differentials for the two teams since 2004 are:
Souths: +34 +10 -22 +20 +28 +23 +16 +13 +17... Total: +139
Roosters: +28 -5 -19 0 -37 -50 -46 -17 -8.... Total: -154
The penalty differential between the two sides is therefore 293. Our annual handicap compared to the Rabbitohs is 32.
The way Rugby League works nowadays is that the majority of tries come on the back of penalties. Souths certainly would not have beaten the Tigers or the Dogs without this assistance.
We must do something to address this culture of penalty-giving at the Roosters. It is an entrenched problem that seems to be woven into the fabric of our jerseys.
I am very impressed by the insight of many Chookpen members. What advice would you give to our coaching staff to overcome this handicap?
(For the record, I think the Rabbitohs are in with a big chance this year, particularly if the penalties continue to flow in the way they seemingly always have. They're on track to have the biggest positive penalty differential for a season since records were first kept.)
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