The Waratahs may be regarded as very unlucky to narrowly miss a semi-final position because of points difference. But that situation basically arose because of the underlying problem with the team – the Waratahs have forgotten how to score points.
For each of the past five years their average number of points scored per match has been less than in the previous season!
Look at their average points scored for the past ten seasons:
2000 24.8
2001 27.8
2002 30.6
2003 29.1
2004 31.1
2005 29.3
2006 27.8
2007 20.5
2008 19.6
2009 18.5
It can be seen that the Waratahs’ point scoring peaked in 2004 and has fallen each year since. Even in the nightmare season of 2007 they scored more points than in the two most recent years.
With an average points score of 18.5 the 2009 Waratahs rank 11th out of 14 teams. By contrast the Force at 25.2 rank 5th; the Brumbies 6th at 23.9; and even the Reds 9th at 19.8.
The decline in average points scored is in large measure a result of the team’s decreasing ability to score tries.
The table below shows the total number of tries scored each season by the Waratahs together with the average number scored per match. The latter statistic allows for the increase in the number of teams from 12 to 14 in 2006.
2000 24 (2.2)
2001 33 (3.0)
2002 41 (3.7)
2003 42 (3.8)
2004 40 (3.6)
2005 38 (3.5)
2006 41 (3.2)
2007 24 (1.8)
2008 31 (2.4)
2009 27 (2.1)
It can be seen that in 2003 the ‘Tahs were scoring 3.8 tries per match. This declined in each of the next three seasons before collapsing to 1.8 in the annus horribilis of 2007. It partially recovered in 2008 before declining further this year.
Declining attendances at the Sydney Football Stadium contradict the notion that supporters are only interested in their team winning and are content for them to “win ugly”.
Not only is it more entertaining to watch teams endeavouring to keep the ball alive and shift it through multiple hands, but the performance of the ‘Tahs this season suggests that such tactics are more effective than an over-reliance on kicking and cut-out passes.
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