GVL Data | Echuca and Seymour by the numbers

By Matthew Kappos

Jul 8, 2024

Matthew Lias is one of the leaders for Echuca in the clearance count, a category where they hold a significant advantage over Seymour. Photo: Aidan Briggs Photo by Aidan Briggs

Marks are one of the few statistics where Seymour leads Echuca, with the Lions’ 100.6 per game average the second most in the GVL this season. Photo: Rechelle Zammit Photo by Rechelle Zammit

With a split round 12 now concluded, a rested Echuca returns to action on Saturday, taking on Seymour at Victoria Park.

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But the Lions (3-8) will not be expected to pose much of a threat to the champions.

Here we examine how the two sides compare so far this year.

As would be expected of two sides separated by eight places on the ladder, Echuca leads Seymour in many of the major statistical categories.

The Murray Bombers (43) are plus 8.3 in clearances over their next opponents (34.7) and get the ball inside 50 far more often — 7.6 more times per game on average.

Echuca holds a massive advantage in stoppages, almost doubling Seymour in hit-outs per game (62.5 to 31.4) and more than doubling it in hit-outs to advantage (15.4 to 7.5).

Looking at overall efficiencies, the Murray Bombers are slightly more accurate when disposing of the ball overall (71 per cent to 70 per cent) but while the reigning champions are less prone to error by handball (81 per cent efficiency to 79 per cent) the Lions distribute by foot slightly more accurately (65 per cent to 64 per cent).

Although, as highlighted earlier, Seymour wins significantly fewer clearances than Echuca, the Lions do make good use of the ball when they win it out of the contest, holding an edge in clearance efficiency (72 per cent to 69 per cent).

The Lions have less of the ball overall, averaging almost 20 fewer disposals than the Murray Bombers (335.6 to 354.8) per game.

However, Seymour is targeting the open man more often when the side does have the ball, taking more overall marks (100.6 to 98.3) than Echuca due to an edge in uncontested marks.

Whether this indicates improved movement of players off the ball from the Lions or simply that Seymour is playing cautiously to avoid turnovers is the unknown factor that could prove this statistic as a positive or negative.

It’s clear that the Lions are marking the ball in attacking 50 far less than the Murray Bombers, but that is to be expected for a side that has lost more games than they’ve won this year.

What it does mean is that Seymour plays at a slower place to Echuca, who will look to force the issue this Sunday and overwhelm the Lions, much like they did to Shepparton United in round 12.