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I know I’m a broken record, but I’m a facts kinda guy, so writing about how player X is better than player Y doesn’t work for me as there is little measurable to judge them on.
I grew up loving American football – I’ve graduated to Canadian football, but that’s a story for another day – and you can arguably compare players merits based on statistics in those games and many other sports besides.
So I’ll start the discussion on something that is quantifiable and relevant.
I cannot comprehend the method the NRL uses to schedule it’s games each season. If we look at the top six teams from 2020 (I know they might not all be as strong as they were last season – did anyone say Cameron Smith? – but so far it seems a safe bet they are) and look at their opponents this season and then compare that to the bottom six from 2020, some questions arise.
You might expect the top six (Melbourne, Penrith, Parramatta, Sydney, South Sydney and Canberra) would play each other home and away as they are the cream of the crop and not deserving of an easy draw. In the main we find that, yes, each top six team plays ten games (home and away) against the other five top six teams.
No, wait. The Raiders (fifth), Rabbitohs (sixth) and Panthers (grand finalists no less) each play only nine games within this group. Hmm. I get why the fifth and sixth teams might get a slight lessening of the strength of opponent, but a grand finalist? And a team that set a record for consecutive wins too?
Oh well, you’d at least expect the top six teams would be slated to play the bottom six only once each and then the middle four twice each – do the maths and it adds up to 24 games. That would be a sensible approach.
Well, wouldn’t you know it, but the NRL (in their wisdom?) have the top six teams playing a bunch of games against last season’s and possibly this season’s lesser lights.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
But this is where it gets really bizarre.
The Panthers (again?), Eels and Rabbitohs play ten games against the likes of St George, Wests, Manly, North Queensland, Canterbury and Brisbane. Ten games! For the statistically minded, 42 per cent of their schedule is against the worst teams.
No way any of them should play the bottom six more than once. The Panthers and Eels were beneficiaries of similar easy draws last season, which was the subject of my first article on The Roar.
But wouldn’t you know it, the Storm play these easybeats only six times. Now, that’s at least what it should be for all the top six, but somehow only the Storm with six and the Raiders with eight have been treated that way. Hmm.
Now for the bottom six. I discovered that they all play at least seven games against top-six opponents. Incredibly last season’s worst team, the Brisbane Broncos, are being asked to play 11 games against top-six clubs! Eleven games! Good luck trying to bounce back from your worst season ever.
I’m sure there are factors involved in scheduling 16 teams – there are historic match-ups to consider and maybe even venue issues for all I know – but on any assessment the NRL schedule has no obvious rhyme or reason.
Unless, that is, you’re a Panthers, Eels or Rabbitohs fan – and that’s not having a go at you guys; it’s not like you lobbied for this. It just coincidentally fell this way.
Again.
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