Micro Noises 205: COVID capers
Well, what a year it's been. A season which began in the most unconventional manner ended in a manner that has become far too conventional — unless, of course, you're a Richmond fan! Well done to the mighty Tigers. To win a third premiership in four years is no mean feat, and one which will likely be seen in a perhaps even greater light upon reflection as time passes.
But for now, that's enough reflection on the Tigers. It's time to look at the really important thing in life — this year's AFL season by the (mostly obscure) numbers!
Prime time footy
After the season was put on hold way back in March after just one round, the AFL was forced to become "agile" to use Gil McLachlan's own word, and rejig the fixture on the fly as the season unfolded. The ultimate result was a 17-round season in which each team played each other just the once. This made it the first season since 1993 (20 games) in which clubs did not each play 22 matches.
To find the most recent season before 2020 in which each team played fewer than 20 home-and-away games, we most go all the way back to 1967. In that season, each side played just 16 matches. Coincidentally, that season culminated in a Grand Final in which Richmond defeated Geelong, as was the case this year.
The last time the V/AFL had a season in which each side played a prime number of games was in 1952, a 19-round season. The last season in which each team played even fewer than 17 games was the war-affected 1943 season, in which each club played just 15 games.
Not since 1925 — 95 years ago, has there been a V/AFL season in which each team played exactly 17 games. In that season Geelong also made the Grand Final, defeating Collingwood to collect their first league flag.
A SHORT SUMMARY OF SEASON SIZES (V/AFL)
22 games — 1970-1986 (12 teams), 1987-1990 (14 teams), 1991-1992, 1994-1995 (15 teams), 1996-2010 (16 teams), 2011 (17 teams), 2012-2019 (18 teams)
20 games — 1945, 1968-1969 (12 teams)
19 games — 1946-1949, 1952 (12 teams)
18 games — 1908-1914 (10 teams), 1926-1941, 1944, 1950-51, 1953-1967 (12 teams)
17 games — 1898-1907 (8 teams), 1925 (12 teams), 2020 (18 teams)
16 games — 1915 (9 teams), 1919-1924 (10 teams)
15 games — 1917 (6 teams) 1942-43* (11 teams)
14 games — 1897 (8 teams), 1918 (10 teams) 1942* (11 teams)
12 games — 1916 (4 teams)
* The 1942 season consisted of 16 rounds, with some teams having two byes and others one. Byes counted as a win. In 1943, St Kilda withdrew from competition after 10 rounds. All other sides played 15 matches.
Score Wars
Not only was the season reduced by five games per side, the length of games was also reduced in 2020. Instead of four 20-minute (plus time on) quarters, each game consisted of 16-minute (plus time on) quarters. As a result, scores this year were significantly lower on average than in previous years. This year's average score of 61 was well down on last year's 80, which itself was one of the lowest of recent seasons of regular length games.
Unsurprisingly, then, this year's joint winners of Score Wars are lower than those of 2019. Well, one of them is at least. The two most common scores of the 2020 AFL season were 73, 12 higher than the average of 61, and 49 — 12 lower than the average of 61. It is the second year in a row we've had more than one Score Wars winner. In 2019 we had an incredible five-way tie, with 88, 87, 71, 85 and 69 all coming up as a final score 11 times.
This year, 73 and 49 each occurred 12 times, two more than 48, which was a final score 10 times.
Despite the shorter games, the 2020 season produced a good spread of scores, with 84 the only score between 25 and 85 that was not registered at least once.
THE 2020 SCORE WARS LEADER BOARD
12 - 73, 49
10 - 48
9 - 61
8 - 57, 50, 46
7 - 53, 52, 48, 34
6 - 79, 72, 67, 64, 60, 54, 51, 47, 42, 35
5 - 91, 88, 81, 80, 78, 74, 68, 63, 62, 44, 41, 32
The Marginal Medal
The lower scores lent themselves to plenty of close games in 2020, and the season included two draws — Collingwood and Richmond in Round 2, the first match after the COVID layoff, and the Round 11 clash between Essendon and Gold Coast. There were also four games decided by a solitary point, five by two points and six by three points. But, somewhat surprisingly, the most common margin of the 2020 season was 32 points.
No fewer than seven matches were decided by 32 points, the first of those coming in the opening round of the season and the last in the final round.
2020 MARGINAL MEDAL LEADER BOARD
7 - 32 points
6 - 3 points, 12 points
5 - 2 points, 4 points, 6 points, 15 points, 16 points, 24 points, 27 points
Postcode of the Grand Final
Geelong was brave in defeat in the Grand Final but the loss did nothing to alleviate a growing perception that the Cats are a very good team that just can't get the job done when it comes to finals. Their recent finals record is starting to remind some of the Magpies' finals record between their 13th and 14th premiership wins, from 1959 to 1989. Geelong's record is almost like CollinGwood's but not quite there yet. So it's probably appropriate that the Cats lost the Grand Final 50-81, because 5081 is the postcode of CollinSwood.
Ridiculous footy anagram of the season
Without the help of the Queensland government, it would have been a real struggle getting through the 2020 season, such was the effect of the coronavirus. But premier Anna Palaszczuk came to our rescue, allowing games to be held across three state locations, culminating in the Grand Final at the Gabba. In light of Palaszczuk's generosity, it was perhaps predictable who this year's 'Big Dance' combatants would be, especially when considering that "VIRUS? NO LOSS, MEN. BRING BIG DANCE HERE!" is an anagram of RICHMOND VERSUS GEELONG IN BRISBANE.
Micro Noises is Andrew Gigacz's occasional, quirky look at all things footy. The name Micro Noises is an anagram of Enrico Misso, who played one game for St Kilda in 1985. He remains the only Enrico and the only Misso to have played footy at the highest level.
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