The rise.... and RISE of Marc Pittonet

[DJC]

How many times in a game does a ruckman tap the ball to one of his players and that player is immediately tackled.
Sometimes it results in putting your player under pressure and ends in a free kick the other way.
So the only real worth of a 'hit-out to advantage' stat would be if that stat also included some territory gained, or a clearance from that hitout.

It's the same with a hospital handpass...It's an 'effective disposal' but actually disdavantages the side.

The best judgement is to watch the game to see effectiveness....not the stat sheet.
Stats have a place but only as part of a much bigger picture.

That's the flaw with the hitouts to advantage statistic Lods; it may result in a clearance, another stoppage or an opposition clearance.  How often does Cripps barge through opponents to gather an errant hitout (that then becomes a hitout to advantage) only to be tackled for another stoppage or a free either way.  It's Cripps that's enabling the hitout to advantage.

A better statistic would be 'ruck contest outcomes' with a points system similar to the pressure acts statistics; 5 points for a hitout that reaches a teammate or taking clean possession, 5 points for an effective kick or handpass after taking possession, 5 points if the hitout results in a clearance, 5 points if the ruckman blocks or shepherds to aid the clearance or tackles an opposition player, 2 points if territory is gained before another stoppage, -5 if the opposition ruckman wins the hitout or takes possession, -5 points if the opposition ruckman gets an effective kick or handpass after taking possession, -5 points if the opposition wins the clearance, and -2 points if the opposition gains territory.