From a raw numbers point of view, Carlton captain Patrick Cripps was colossal in his side’s hard-fought win over GWS on the weekend.
The reigning Brownlow Medallist amassed 42 disposals as the Blues got home by 10 points at Giants Stadium, while also racking up 20 contested possessions and 13 clearances.
Cripps is currently second in the league for contested possessions, third for clearances and sixth for disposals, but is he on track for his best individual campaign yet?
Not according to Champion Data’s Daniel Hoyne who says the Blues skipper is hurting his game by not using the ball particularly well.
“With our ratings system we’re measuring impact in terms of what you’re actually doing from those possessions,” Hoyne said on SEN’s Sportsday.
“He’s been poor (with his kicking) and his game on the weekend from a ball use perspective really hurt him. I know the coaches gave him the full 10 votes, but we actually had that as the seventh lowest rated game of any player that has had 40-plus disposals on record.
“It wasn’t a highly rated game purely off what he did from a ball use perspective. That’s been a bit of a theme so far across his year.
“If he keeps going at this rate, it will be his lowest rated year since 2015.
“I think we can get seduced purely by the raw numbers. It’s more (about) the impact you’re actually having from those possessions.
“Everyone gets access to the disposals, the contested possessions and clearances, but I think there’s a bit more to it.”
On the flip side, dashing defender Adam Saad is using the ball superbly in 2023 and as a result is the best rated general defender in the AFL.
He had 23 touches at 87 per cent efficiency against the Giants and his ball use out of defensive 50 is propping up the Blues.
“Saad so far this year is by far and away the number one rated defender in the competition,” Hoyne said of Saad.
“What he’s doing from a ball use perspective, if it wasn’t for him Carlton’s ball movement would be of even more concern.
“He’s the third best kick in the competition coming out of defensive 50 so far this year.
“I think Carlton are bottom four, bottom five to be able to move the ball from end of the ground to the other. If it’s not for Adam Saad, who is it at the moment?
“What he’s been able to do offensively is a huge tick, but he’s also played on Shai Bolton and kept him quiet, played on Tyson Stengle and kept him quiet, then played on Brent Daniels on the weekend.
“He is one of those rare defenders that gets given a difficult matchup more often than not, is able to shut them down more often than not, but is also able to counterattack and be able to provide such offensive use going the other way.”
If Hoyne had to pick an All-Australian lock at half-back right now, he’d choose Saad “hands down”.
Despite Cripps’ foibles but armed with Saad’s penetration, the Blues are sitting pretty in third position on the ladder with a record of two wins, a draw and no defeats.
They next meet North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium on Friday.