Sydney FC men’s side have swatted NRL powerhouse Melbourne Storm and Super Rugby’s Crusaders aside to be crowned Australasia’s best sporting team.
Analysis by Platinum Asset Management and Gain Line Analytics that explores win percentage, home and away record and ladder standings over the past five seasons, puts the Sky Blues men on top of the pile across all codes in Australia and New Zealand.
Steve Corica’s men have won three of the past five A-League titles and were runners-up to Melbourne City last season, who finished in 13th spot.
The women’s team also polled strongly, finishing in fifth place overall and first in the women’s standings after featuring in four of the past five grand finals.
“To have the highest rated men’s and women’s teams of all codes in Australia and New Zealand is a huge achievement,” said Sky Blues chief executive Danny Townsend.
“Over the last five years our men’s and women’s teams have competed in eight out of ten grand finals and it is this consistency that has delivered this accolade.
“It is an outstanding achievement to celebrate and we will look to challenge for the title again next year.”
The Crusaders won the title in 2018 and the Melbourne Storm claimed the crown in 2019 and 2020.
In the battle of the codes, Australian rules had six in the top 25 including Geelong (seventh), Port Adelaide (11th), Richmond Tigers (23rd) and the AFLW teams from Melbourne Demons (20th), Adelaide Crows (22nd) and the Brisbane Lions (24th).
Rugby league and cricket had four teams while football and basketball had three each.
The Crusaders were the only Super Rugby franchise to finish in the top 25.
“Gain Line’s theories on cohesion resonated with my own understanding of the strength of Platinum’s investment team, and we became Gain Line’s first corporate client,” said Platinum investment specialist Douglas Isles.
“In parallel with the sporting context, there are countless examples in the corporate world, where cohesion, or lack of it, determines outcomes.
“(The title) recognises sporting excellence while supporting great causes and as such, is a worthwhile follow up to the work we have done on ourselves.”
TOP 10 CLUBS IN AUSTRALASIAN SPORT
1 – Sydney FC (A-League Men)
2 – Crusaders (Super Rugby)
3 – Sydney Sixers (BBL)
4 – Melbourne Storm (NRL)
5 – Sydney FC (A-League Women)
6 – Perth Wildcats (NBL)
7 – Geelong Cats (AFL)
8 – New South Wales Breakers (WNCL)
9 – Melbourne United (NBL)
10 – Penrith Panthers (NRL)
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
That is the Saders competition, & playing in different environments, with time travel difference, etc etc is far harder than anything local.
Joe King
Roar Rookie
It compares how well teams do within their own competition. Being international doesn't necessarily make a competition more competitive or harder to win for a particular team.
Joe King
Roar Rookie
The statistics don't lie. The crusaders are right up there, but not quite no. 1 based on all factors measured.
Joe King
Roar Rookie
It measures how successful a team is within it's own competition based on several factors across the board. How else should teams be judged?
Joe King
Roar Rookie
There is no subjectivity attached to the results. Look into it. It is pure statistics.
Joe King
Roar Rookie
Hey guys, the results are not based on opinion. It's based on statistical analysis.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
No they were given this team of the region award in 2018, and Melbourne Storm got in 2019, and 2020. Otherwise the sentence would imply Melbourne storm won the super rugby in 2019,2020. Crusaders and Wildcats have something in common, they didnt get first on table for most of their final wins, so assume ladder position is the big factor.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Like, Jacko, comparing ' local ' clubs, against the franchise, that is the Saders, is pretty laughable!! Lol :laughing: That's why rugby, is called the ' Global Game'.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Well TBH, it's comparing club games that are virtually only played in Australia, against a franchise that covers three nations in the Southern Hemisphere. I know what I'd prefer, is how we shape up against other nations than local club against club. So the Saders for me, & not only that, but they have a coach, whose been there for a few years or so, that's never lost a final he's been in. Great wrap dancer as well.
Otsuble
Roar Rookie
Whoever decided this was a good idea had a bad idea. What a load of nonsense.
Adam
Roar Guru
Through the tears?
jcmasher
Roar Rookie
And the point of this is...............
Redcap
Roar Guru
Anybody with an internet connection and a spreadsheet could have done this. The internet connection isn't even strictly necessary. It seems to involve no more than just counting up wins and losses and making some unspecified adjustments based on recency and the stability of the competition. What exactly is the insight here? https://www.platinum.com.au/abst2021
mushi
Roar Guru
I'm hoping not to in the future. Nothing fundamentally analytical from gain line.
mushi
Roar Guru
And he couldn't read the second paragraph.
Randy
Roar Rookie
He's just salty cause Souffs didnt make the list...
Tim J
Roar Rookie
AAP bringing us good humour! The Crusaders have won 5 years straight, and Robertson the same since taking over as Coach. :stoked:
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
It appears a marketing exercise by Platinum Asset Management and Gain Line Analytics. To be fair, I hadn't heard of them before this. I assume I am not the only one.
Maximus Insight
Guest
What a strange exercise. And how strange that the CEO of Sydney FC (isn't he also CEO of the A Leagues?) would actually go on record with a quote. As others have pointed out: 1) The only possible thing it could be measuring is the relative performance and thus the level of competitive imbalance over a 5 year period 2) it takes zero qualitative account of the respective competitions
Paul
Roar Guru
I take your point. It doesn't matter if the "winner" was any of the sports, it still means the same thing; one team is dominant in that competition and is that actually a bad thing?