Marks inside 50 conceded

[Duff Soviet Union]

This might not be the best game to bring it up, but it seems there hasn't been much discussion about how we've totally stopped the opposition from marking inside 50 over the win streak. Check out these numbers (for reference, the average marks inside 50 per team per game is 10-11.

Rounds 3-8: 20, 12 (against West Coast!), 13, 17, 16, 19. Average of 16.2, which is the worst in the competition (yes, worse than Norf).

Rounds 9-16: 2, 9, 3, 6, 10, 13. Average of 7.1, which is the best in the competition (yes, better than the famously stifling Melbourne).

So...what gives? More conservative style of play with fewer players running forward, but more attention paid to their own man? The defence becoming more familiar with each other? The midfield putting on better pressure leading to more bombs and fewer spot ups? Just better form from the defenders (Darcy in particular)? Changes in personnel (I find it hard to believe Murphy is *that* much of an upgrade on Madgen, but he's probably helped)? Something else?

[Pies2016]

Good analysis.
Personally, I think it’s just an entire new coaching staff teaching a whole new game plan and it’s taken a bit of time for it to come together. They seemed to start with a focus on heavier scoring and we got opened up a bit going the other way while we learnt the caper. Once the scoring was up, the coaches shifted to fine tuning the defence and the numbers above speak for themselves. Transition is everything in footy and it’s a very fine balancing act to get it right. It’s a credit to everyone involved that they seem to have got it right so quickly because it’s a huge departure from last years ball movement.
I take your point about Murphy vs Madgen but Murphy is just so good in any contests he’s involved in, he might be a bigger contributor to the improvement than it first seems.

[Duff Soviet Union]