GVL Data | Contested game a key area for Bulldogs

The Swans enter the round 16 Goulburn Valley League contest with bragging rights over Tatura — following their 77-point triumph in round eight.

It was a wet and soggy Sunday afternoon when the two met in early June, but the Swans’ speed and run cut open the Bulldogs.

The Swans are ranked third in the competition for handball receives and they love to use the pace from gun onballers B.J. Squire, Zac Banch and Ty Collison in getting the ball forward.

In round eight, the Swans won the handball receives count by 35, the uncontested possession count by 29 and the contested possessions by 23.

Swans coach Andrew Riordan has his charges playing a slick brand of footy and the Swans have picked up recent scalps over Seymour and Shepparton.

If the weather on Saturday ends up wet and slippery again, which it is forecast to do, then Tatura must improve on its work around the contests.

The Bulldogs are ranked last for contested possessions, groundball gets and are second last in tackles.

With an average of 101.9 contested possessions and 81.2 groundball gets per game, the task will be for Tatura to get their hands on the ball first.

This is where talented onballers Mitch Elliott, Billy Cooper, Tom Sullivan and co will be crucial on Saturday.

Paul Kirby has called for a lift in intensity and effort following last week’s poor loss and no doubt improving in those statistical categories will be high on the agenda.