Penalty Magnets

[Scott Allen]

There's been some discussion in other threads as to who are the penalty magnets amongst forwards in Australian teams.

Here are the forwards with the highest numbers after 7 rounds (according to Sportsdata):

G.Holmes - 10 (82%)
S. Higginbotham - 9 (96%)
E. Quirk - 8 (97%)
B. Mowen - 7 (100%)
S. Carter - 7 (58%)
M. Hodgson - 7 (48%)
M. Hooper - 6 (100%)
E. O'Donoghue - 6 (71%)
L. Jones - 6 (98%)
L. Weeks - 6 (73%)
S. Fuglistaller - 6 (67%)
S. Fainga'a - 6 (51%)
N. Charles - 6 (69%)
J. Schatz - 5 (92%)
S. Fardy - 5 (77%)
P. Ryan - 5 (61%)
B. Alexander - 5 (72%)
R. Simmons - 4 (83%)
N. Henderson - 4 (98%)
G. Robinson - 4 (94%)
B. Robinson - 4 (79%)
K. Douglas - 4 (92%)
J. Hanson - 4 (49%)
T. Lynn - 4 (80%)

Others of Note:

H. McMeniman - 3 (80%)
L. Gill - 3 (78%)
G. Smith - 3 (64%)

I've edited the list to include percentage of minutes played for their respective teams (in brackets).

Also added in Laurie Weeks who I missed - 6 (73%).

 

[Hugh Jarse]

On the subject of naughty boys, should this thread also record The Yellow Card Merit List?

 

[Sully]

Looks like Sports data has Simmons and Douglas even. Must both be penalty magnets!

 

[No4918]

7 of 23 (30.4%) are Reds
43 of the 132 (32.5%) penalties were committed by Reds

Scott, do you think the weighting to Reds players is warranted?

 

[No4918]

One explanation could be that the pack has been more consistent than the other sides.

 

[Sully]

I'd say The weighting towards front rowers would be redikeulous but Holmes seems to stand out.

 

[Rassie]

Can you give the names of the referees who pinged them mostly?

 

[Ash]

Minutes played would be the most useful balancer, I'd say.

A few players there who have played a lot, and a few there who haven't.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

While it is in the Job Description of 7's and 9's to cheat, the #7 club is under represented in the top 10.

How many of the penalties against the fatties are part of the scrum lottery?

 

[Rassie]

While it is in the Job Description of 7's and 9's to cheat, the #7 club is under represented in the top 10.

How many of the penalties against the fatties are part of the scrum lottery?

Most of the top penalized players in Super Rugby are props. That tells you a story

 

[Scott Allen]

I've edited the list above to include percentage of minutes played for their respective teams (in brackets).

 

[Scott Allen]

7 of 23 (30.4%) are Reds
43 of the 132 (32.5%) penalties were committed by Reds

Scott, do you think the weighting to Reds players is warranted?

Without looking at every penalty, who knows. Regardless of whether the penalties were warranted or not, the Reds numbers are too high in the forwards and is an area that needs to be improved.

 

[Rassie]

lol I had to laugh at this. I notice the Kiwi's got a referee site as well and guess who is answering the questions there haha
http://referees.allblacks.com/index.cfm?layout=askExpertsQuestion&id=184

 

[Ruggo]

I'd say The weighting towards front rowers would be redikeulous but Holmes seems to stand out.

I would be curious to see where the penalty's are being conceded. I think it would add context. I don't recall Holmes being a penalty magnet at scrum time.

 

[namtrak]

Makes Slipper look good?

 

[gel]

The more a player is involved in the game the more likely they are to give away a penalty I reckon, simply due to the somewhat random nature of how penalties are awarded. Particularly if it is anywhere near the tackle/ruck/maul area given that there are probably 3 or 4 infringements at every ruck if you strictly follow the laws and the referee has to decide whether it is affecting the game, whether his directive is towards the attacking team or the defensive team, whether he feels the need to yield to the demands of the crowd, or if he has been (probably quite rightly) told off by one of the captains for ignoring the other teams repeated infringements.

Given that list it would appear to be pretty much the guys that everyone has been talking about as giving pretty solid performances and very involved week in, week out.

I could just be talking out of my arse though.

 

[fatprop]

Give Kepu a few weeks and he will have this comp won

 

[Scotty]

I am surprised at Gill's number. I think he got done twice vs the Brumbies and he definitely had one vs the Highlanders, so if that is the correct number then he wasn't penalised in any other game. For someone who is on the ball so much, how is that possible?

 

[Sully]

I am surprised at Gill's number. I think he got done twice vs the Brumbies and he definitely had one vs the Highlanders, so if that is the correct number then he wasn't penalised in any other game. For someone who is on the ball so much, how is that possible?

He's having a amazing season. Unfortunately his name isn't Smith

 

[Inside Shoulder]

The more a player is involved in the game the more likely they are to give away a penalty I reckon

I think that theory requires some qualification, simply because the 9 gets his hands on the ball more than anyone and yet they give away very few penalties.
The other thing this thread shows is that people immediately assume the ref is to blame. given the pretty random rotation of refs by 7 games in you've seen half the refs your going to see. if you stats are over the odds as a team then there's something you're not getting as a team: the refs are not wrong every week against the same team.