The best and worst defensive centres in the NRL

[TSupps05]

Nrl.com made some stats and a list regarding which centres leak the most amount of tries a game.

Average try causes per game

Best Centres

Will Chambers - 0.10
Curtis Scott - 0.20
Mitchell Aubusson - 0.20
Kurt Mann - 0.29
Kane Linnett - 0.39

Worst Centres

Dale Copley - 1.56
Moses Suli - 1.33
Michael Chee-Kam - 1.22
Latrell Mitchell - 1.00
Kevin Naiqama - 1.00

I am not surprised at all by this but for me this does say how good Esan Marsters did at centre, he came 9th in the rankings out of all 51 players that played centre throughout the year. His stats were:

Games Try Causes Average Try Causes
Esan Marster - 11 5 0.45

He gets the stating spot next year for mine.
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The full list of centres: https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/01/19/the-best-and-worst-defensive-centres-in-the-nrl/

 

[happy_tiger]

Two best defensive centres I've seen were Matt Cooper and Chris Johns

Johns was the best , extremely underrated footballer

 

[innsaneink]

I remember a player was all but over the tryline in mid air…Cooper grabbed him..held him up and brought him back into the field.of.play...amazing strength to.stop that momentum...my description doesnt do it justice

 

[TCL]

I don't think this is a correct reflection. Defensive issues Imo start closer to the ruck. One on one misses are probably a better stat for wingers and centres. Easier to isolate a winger and centre if the rest of line isn't doing their job.

 

[NT_Tiger]

What I found interesting was that the full list has 9 players, including Jarryd Hayne, on 1.00 average points and the writer chose to highlight Kevin Naiquama in the worst 5\. Any chance of bias there?

 

[Geo]

I don't think this is a correct reflection. Defensive issues Imo start closer to the ruck. One on one misses are probably a better stat for wingers and centres. Easier to isolate a winger and centre if the rest of line isn't doing their job.

This…

 

[king_sirro]

I don't think this is a correct reflection. Defensive issues Imo start closer to the ruck. One on one misses are probably a better stat for wingers and centres. Easier to isolate a winger and centre if the rest of line isn't doing their job.

Exactly. No coincidence the top 2 are Melbourne. Tough to judge our centres in this analysis with the defensive structures we had as a team.

 

[Nelson]

What I found interesting was that the full list has 9 players, including Jarryd Hayne, on 1.00 average points and the writer chose to highlight Kevin Naiquama in the worst 5\. Any chance of bias there?

Because he played the most games of all players with an average of 1.00 and so had the most "tries caused".

 

[Tim Sheens]

Nrl.com made some stats and a list regarding which centres leak the most amount of tries a game.

Average try causes per game

Best Centres

Will Chambers - 0.10
Curtis Scott - 0.20
Mitchell Aubusson - 0.20
Kurt Mann - 0.29
Kane Linnett - 0.39

Worst Centres

Dale Copley - 1.56
Moses Suli - 1.33
Michael Chee-Kam - 1.22
Latrell Mitchell - 1.00
Kevin Naiqama - 1.00

I am not surprised at all by this but for me this does say how good Esan Marsters did at centre, he came 9th in the rankings out of all 51 players that played centre throughout the year. His stats were:

Games Try Causes Average Try Causes
Esan Marster - 11 5 0.45

He gets the stating spot next year for mine.
\
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The full list of centres: https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/01/19/the-best-and-worst-defensive-centres-in-the-nrl/

Esan's contribution also coincides with our improvement in general as the season progressed, so hard to judge. Kevin also looked a lot better on the other side during that period and I have little doubt his stats would be similar and possibly better than those of Esan for the same games.

Like others are stating, whilst a good defensive center can make some difference, a lot depends on structure, the players inside and that which the opposition are allowed to throw at you.

 

[Tacky]

I remember a player was all but over the tryline in mid air…Cooper grabbed him..held him up and brought him back into the field.of.play...amazing strength to.stop that momentum...my description doesnt do it justice

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1EbzrtQlU0

 

[innsaneink]

That's the one

 

[Tiger_Watto]

I don't think this is a correct reflection. Defensive issues Imo start closer to the ruck. One on one misses are probably a better stat for wingers and centres. Easier to isolate a winger and centre if the rest of line isn't doing their job.

This…

x2

While not dismissing that Centres can make poor reads, I'd suggest a good 75% of Tries scored through Centres are related to the breakdown in the middle or tight edge structure.

One of the things the best players in that list highlight [without taking anything away from them], are they work outside good defensive Backrowers also.

 

[Tim Sheens]

That's the one

And sadly it was our new second rower that he was able to deny.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

That's the one

And sadly it was our new second rower that he was able to deny.

How embarrassing. Terrible signing.

*END SARCASM*

 

[Harvey]

When you read the rest of the article, it talks about how centre is one of the hardest defensive positions, with a lot of decision making required. While the inside defence often leaves the centres with limited options, some of them just seem to have terrible judgement. I think Chee-Kam was one of the worst in our side last year.

 

[Geo]

I don't think this is a correct reflection. Defensive issues Imo start closer to the ruck. One on one misses are probably a better stat for wingers and centres. Easier to isolate a winger and centre if the rest of line isn't doing their job.

This…

x2

While not dismissing that Centres can make poor reads, I'd suggest a good 75% of Tries scored through Centres are related to the breakdown in the middle or tight edge structure.

One of the things the best players in that list highlight [without taking anything away from them], are they work outside good defensive Backrowers also.

But but…Nofoaluma... :unamused:

 

[wt01]

When you read the rest of the article, it talks about how centre is one of the hardest defensive positions, with a lot of decision making required. While the inside defence often leaves the centres with limited options, some of them just seem to have terrible judgement. I think Chee-Kam was one of the worst in our side last year.

kevin naiqama isnt a starting centre with the depth we have

 

[cktiger]

Another case of coming to conclusions from ridiculous statistics that don't take into account what is happening around those players.

 

[earl]

Another case of coming to conclusions from ridiculous statistics that don't take into account what is happening around those players.

It's a pretty meaningless article isn't it.

 

[newtiger]

Another case of coming to conclusions from ridiculous statistics that don't take into account what is happening around those players.

X2
You can get statistics to prove any conclusion you want, mostly false.