Completion rates

[Spirit of 66]

I'm somewhat sceptical about what completion rates tell you about a team. I imagine it's possible to play so conservatively that you maintain a completion rate in the 90s, but never threaten to score a point. But looking at the stats I notice a few interesting facts:

• Teams playing us work very hard to complete their sets. In 10 games this year, our opponents have had completion rates in the 80s or 90s. I think they're all terrified of giving us attacking opportunities.
• We hardly ever register similarly high completion rates - in fact, last Saturday's game was the first in 2014 where we had a rate in the 80s (85).
• In 7 games, our rate has been under 70%. In 1 game (the first against Manly) it was an appalling 53% - yet we still almost won that game.
• Only once have we lost a game when our completion rate was 75% or higher - and that was against the Dogs when we suffered an 11-2 penalty disadvantage.

My conclusion is this - if we can hold the ball, we'll win the comp. Simples.

[roostersrule2]

Indeed.

Without a doubt our biggest problem is this, we hold the ball and we'll beat any team regardless of who they are or how we're playing.

[milanja]

And it works hand in hand with the penalties we give away, the more we hold the ball, less penalties we give away.

[BallyChook]

And it works hand in hand with the penalties we give away, the more we hold the ball, less penalties we give away.

And the less penalties we receive....

[milanja]

And the less penalties we receive....

They are not the one's that kill us.
We hold the ball, we usually score.

[BallyChook]

They are not the one's that kill us.
We hold the ball, we usually score.

True, but reinforces the standards applied to other teams differ from those applied to us. All I would like to see is for a level playing field.

[Sydney_Roosters_4_Life]

It's no surprise we had such a good completion rate on Saturday.. SBW made 1 offload in 80 minutes. He just put his head down and did all the hard work along with Cordner. SBW plays so much better when he doesn't try and offload every touch of the ball, like we saw when we played the Raiders or Sharks which became agonising to see him touch the ball.

[stsae]

I'm somewhat sceptical about what completion rates tell you about a team. I imagine it's possible to play so conservatively that you maintain a completion rate in the 90s, but never threaten to score a point. But looking at the stats I notice a few interesting facts:

• Teams playing us work very hard to complete their sets. In 10 games this year, our opponents have had completion rates in the 80s or 90s. I think they're all terrified of giving us attacking opportunities.
• We hardly ever register similarly high completion rates - in fact, last Saturday's game was the first in 2014 where we had a rate in the 80s (85).
• In 7 games, our rate has been under 70%. In 1 game (the first against Manly) it was an appalling 53% - yet we still almost won that game.
• Only once have we lost a game when our completion rate was 75% or higher - and that was against the Dogs when we suffered an 11-2 penalty disadvantage.

My conclusion is this - if we can hold the ball, we'll win the comp. Simples.

Great post mate.

A lot of sides complete but in doing so become conservative and struggle to ice a game.

We have strike everywhere. All we have to do is cut the unforced errors.

As soon as we get near to 50-50 possession we will tear any side a new one.

Funny thing is IMO we have been poor in this area this season but we still lead the way in the attacking stats.

[ROC181]

And we're the worse at repeat sets. With all of these negatives against us, we're still 4 points from the top YET how would it be if we could fix these negative aspects of our game?

[Guest]

Great post; it is about getting the balance right between a good completion rate and playing attacking football. A lot of our errors seem to come in our own 40 which may be down to lack of concentration, poor ball security, kicks out on the full etc

[mightyrooster]

I get so sick of the commentators harping on about us being hopeless at getting repeat sets. Last year in particular, we didn't get so many repeat sets because the completion of our set (especially in the opponent's quarter) more often than not ended with a try. I would prefer a try to a line drop out any day. Sometimes you'd think the commentators would actually analyse the stats instead of just quoting the 'dry' figures.

[ROC181]

I get so sick of the commentators harping on about us being hopeless at getting repeat sets. Last year in particular, we didn't get so many repeat sets because the completion of our set (especially in the opponent's quarter) more often than not ended with a try. I would prefer a try to a line drop out any day. Sometimes you'd think the commentators would actually analyse the stats instead of just quoting the 'dry' figures.

I get so sick when on the last tackle we just give the ball away with something that lacked imagination. The repeat set is not necessarily a certain try when they drop out however its a good way to wear them down to the point that they let 1, 2 or more tries in afterwards.

[Guest]

Getting a repeat set is no longer worth the risk of putting the ball dead and giving the other team 7 tackles from the 20 metre line. That new rule is like giving the opposition 2 penalties from your try line. Take Saturday, the Riff were on our line attacking and one poor kick and we march up field and Maubs scores.

You will see a lot more teams running on the 6th if they are inside the 20 and taking the tackle.

Chook.

[chook 56]

Getting a repeat set is no longer worth the risk of putting the ball dead and giving the other team 7 tackles from the 20 metre line. That new rule is like giving the opposition 2 penalties from your try line. Take Saturday, the Riff were on our line attacking and one poor kick and we march up field and Maubs scores.

You will see a lot more teams running on the 6th if they are inside the 20 and taking the tackle.

Chook.

This!

It has taken this many months for teams to realise the rule changes mean that you have to rethink your 6th tackle option.
Mix it up & don't give them an easy 20 mtrs.

[Spirit of 66]

This!

It has taken this many months for teams to realise the rule changes mean that you have to rethink your 6th tackle option.
Mix it up & don't give them an easy 20 mtrs.

In fact, it might often be better to pass than to kick and, if you don't score, to have the opposition restart from a their own line.