After two rounds of 2017, livewire forward Jack Lonie is the No. 1 ranked forward in the competition for pressure points, ahead of renowned forward-half pests Paul Puopolo, Charlie Cameron and Lindsay Thomas.
Lonie, 20, is averaging 53.5 pressure points – the weighted sum of pressure acts – and is ranked No. 2 at St Kilda behind midfielder Seb Ross (55.8 points), narrowly ahead of inside bull Luke Dunstan (51.4 points).
Player Pressure Points: Players are awarded points for; corralling (1.20), chasing (1.50), closing (2.75), and physical pressure (3.75). The addition of these points from all of their pressure acts provides us with their total pressure points.
It may only be a small sample size, but Lonie has started the new season brightly, averaging career-highs for disposals (15.5), tackles (5.0), inside 50s (2.5), score assists (2.0) and Champion Data ranking points (81).
Monday Wash-Up: Round 2 v West Coast
In Western Australia on Saturday night, St Kilda made an impressive response to their pressure drop off against Melbourne in Round 1.
The Saints forced the equal second most mid-turnovers (43) of any team across the weekend, rising from a ranking of No. 14 the week earlier.
Alan Richardson’s men rose from a poor tackle rating of - 8 (No. 13 in the AFL) against the Demons to + 11 (No. 4) at Domain Stadium on Saturday night, to further emphasise their response in the west.
While St Kilda didn’t quite get the job done in Perth, the rise in pressure was a major positive to emerge from the review meeting.
Forward Pressure Point Rankings Rounds 1 – 2:
1. Jack Lonie (St Kilda) 53.5 – General Forward
2. Lin Jong (Western Bulldogs) 53.4 – Midfielder/Forward
3. Paul Puopolo (Hawthorn) 52.7 – General Forward
4. Charlie Cameron (Adelaide) 52.0 – General Forward
5. Michael Barlow (Gold Coast 50.0 – Midfielder-Forward
