- Bennell 'unlikely' to continue at Freo, Lyon hopes for lifeline
- Fyfe's derby return
- Match preview v West Coast
WHO IS your club's fastest player? Who is your best gut runner? And how does your team compare to the other 17?
Thanks to Champion Data (in collaboration with Catapult Sports) and the Telstra Tracker, AFL.com.au has compiled the key numbers.
Some of the results may surprise you...
TELSTRA TRACKER TEAM RECORDS
Season records
Total distance covered for season 2019: 3976km (5th)
Total distance at high speed for 2019: 547km (6th)
Total sprints for season 2019: 3242 (10th)
Single-match records
Total distance single-match record for each club: 292.9km v Melbourne, round 14
Total distance at high speed single-match record: 43km v Essendon, round nine
Total sprints single-match record: 270 v Port Adelaide, round 13
Summary: Fremantle take great pride in fighting until the end of games so it's no surprise they are up there for total distance covered this season. Intriguingly, their highest distance covered in a match was against Melbourne when Stephen Hill (hamstring) joined Jesse Hogan (foot) on the sidelines early in the third quarter, showing they were brave in a potentially season-altering 14-point loss at the MCG. - Travis King
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TELSTRA TRACKER PLAYER RECORDS
Distance kings – average distance covered per match (minimum of two matches in 2019)
No surprises the Dockers' running machines on the wings feature one and two on this list. Tucker's aerobic ability in part shows why he's been successfully settled in midfield.
1. Ed Langdon: 14.52km per match
2. Bradley Hill: 14.46km per match
3. Darcy Tucker: 14.42km per match
Distance kings – single-match records for 2019
Tucker did a lot of unrewarded running in round six, and 18 possessions was his equal fourth-lowest tally. Hill's effort against Melbourne came when Freo was down to two on the bench and his 31 disposals was one shy of his season-best.
1. Darcy Tucker: 16.09km v Western Bulldogs, round six
2. Ed Langdon: 15.74km v West Coast, round four
3. Bradley Hill: 15.72km v Melbourne, round 14
Speedsters – highest speeds recorded in 2019
Colyer's raw pace is a feature of his game and Wilson is no slouch but Hill's unbelievable ability to cover as much ground as he does at speed places him in rare company across the competition.
1. Travis Colyer: 34.74km/h v Western Bulldogs, round six
2. Nathan Wilson: 34.31km/h v West Coast, round four
3. Bradley Hill: 33.88km/h v St Kilda, round three
Bradley Hill has the perfect mix of speed and endurance.
TELSTRA TRACKER TEAM RECORDS
Season records
Total distance covered for season 2019: 3824.3km (18th)
Total distance at high speed for 2019: 469.1km (17th)
Total sprints for season 2019: 2518 (18th)
Single-match records
Total distance single-match record for each club: 285.5km v Geelong, round 15
Total distance at high speed single-match record: 39.6km v St Kilda, round six
Total sprints single-match record: 239 v Melbourne, round 11
Summary: The Crows have adopted a defensive game style this year, preferring to kick down the line and only switching play when there is little risk. Their sprint total has been brought down by their round two win against Sydney, when they sprinted just 49 times in slippery conditions on the small SCG. - Lee Gaskin
TELSTRA TRACKER PLAYER RECORDS
Distance kings – average distance covered per match (minimum of two matches in 2019)
Knight is an elite runner, but hasn't been able to lock down a permanent spot in the side. Atkins is averaging a career-high 22.3 disposals on the wing, while Laird is on track for a third straight All Australian selection.
1. Riley Knight: 13.88km per match
2. Rory Atkins: 13.82km per match
3. Rory Laird: 13.77km per match
Distance kings – single-match records for 2019
Knight started the season strongly with 20 disposals in the Crows' round one loss to Hawthorn. Crows co-captain Sloane has covered plenty of ground through the midfield in the past two games.
1. Riley Knight: 15.15km v Hawthorn, round one
2. Rory Sloane: 15.08km v Geelong, round 15
3. Rory Sloane: 14.94km v Richmond, round 13
Speedsters – highest speeds recorded in 2019
Murphy's ability to apply forward pressure has earnt him a place in the side. Eddie Betts still has plenty of wheels, the 32-year-old recording the fifth-fastest max speed (32.11 km/h).
1. Lachlan Murphy: 34.16km/h v St Kilda, round six
2. Rory Laird: 33.37km/h v Hawthorn, round one
3. Jordan Gallucci: 32.83km/h v St Kilda, round six
TELSTRA TRACKER TEAM RECORDS
Season records
Total distance covered for season 2019: 3861.4km (16th)
Total distance at high speed for 2019: 507km (16th)
Total sprints for season 2019: 3052 (13th)
Single-match records
Total distance single-match record for each club: 291.2km v Sydney, round seven
Total distance at high speed single-match record: 42.6km v St Kilda, round 14
Total sprints single-match record: 277 v North Melbourne, round two
Summary: What you can learn from these figures is – don’t' get caught up in GPS numbers too much. The Lions rank in the bottom six as a team in all of the key indicators yet have over-run a stack of opponents in the final quarter (think North Melbourne, Port Adelaide, Sydney, Hawthorn and Melbourne). Their single-match records have also resulted in wins. - Michael Whiting
TELSTRA TRACKER PLAYER RECORDS
Distance kings – average distance covered per match (minimum of two matches in 2019)
A mix of players on the leaderboard here, but not surprising two wingmen feature prominently. Hugh McCluggage, who also spends plenty of time on-ball, and Tom Cutler, are joined by full-back Harris Andrews.
1. Hugh McCluggage: 14.19km per match
2. Harris Andrews: 13.78km per match
3. Tom Cutler: 13.76km per match
Distance kings – single-match records for 2019
Hugh McCluggage dominates this stat for the Lions, owning five of the top seven Brisbane performances for the season. Not surprising his biggest output was during a 26-touch, one-goal return to his former home of Ballarat to play the Dogs.
1. Hugh McCluggage: 15.78km v Western Bulldogs, round eight
2. Josh Walker: 15.55km v Sydney, round seven
3. Harris Andrews: 15.37km v North Melbourne, round two
Speedsters – highest speeds recorded in 2019
If you've watched Lions games you'd only need two guesses to nail these top two, but first-year defender Noah Answerth is a surprise packet. That raw speed shows he could be just the man Brisbane has been searching for to shut down opposition small forwards.
1. Lincoln McCarthy: 34.42km/h v Western Bulldogs, round eight
2. Charlie Cameron: 34.34km/h v Sydney, round seven
3. Noah Answerth: 34.22km/h v Carlton, round 12
TELSTRA TRACKER TEAM RECORDS
Season records
Total distance covered for season 2019: 4054.5km (2nd)
Total distance at high speed for 2019: 576.2km (2nd)
Total sprints for season 2019: 3445 (3rd)
Single-match records
Total distance single-match record for each club: 302.2km v Port Adelaide, round two
Total distance at high speed single-match record: 47.1km v Western Bulldogs, round 13
Total sprints single-match record: 288 v Sydney, round three
Summary: You can't question this side's effort. The Blues are among the best runners in the AFL. They rank second in the League for both total distance covered and for distance covered at high speed, while they're third for the most sprints. Ed and Charlie Curnow are great runners, while Sam Walsh has set a new benchmark since arriving at the club. - Riley Beveridge
TELSTRA TRACKER PLAYER RECORDS
Distance kings – average distance covered per game (minimum of two games in 2019)
It wouldn't surprise many that first-year gun Sam Walsh is the distance king at Ikon Park. His work ethic has been superb since arriving last November. Fellow new recruit Michael Gibbons is close behind.
1. Sam Walsh: 15.50km
2. Michael Gibbons: 14.87km
3. Matthew Lobbe: 14.56km
Distance kings – single-match records for 2019
Ed Curnow has long been known as the best runner at Carlton and has produced the best individual effort this season. Sam Walsh and Michael Gibbons are quickly catching him.
1. Ed Curnow: 17.06km v Hawthorn, round six
2. Michael Gibbons: 16.93km v Port Adelaide, round two
3. Sam Walsh: 16.63km v Western Bulldogs, round 13
Speedsters – highest speeds recorded in 2019
Now this is a surprise. Known as 'Brackets' at Carlton for making his No.11 jumper look like brackets due to his less-than-flattering frame, Mitch McGovern has clocked the highest speed in a single game for the Blues this season.
1. Mitch McGovern: 34.16km/h v Hawthorn, round six
2. Lochie O'Brien: 34.03km/h v Western Bulldogs, round five
3. David Cuningham: 33.77km/h v Richmond, round one
TELSTRA TRACKER TEAM RECORDS
Season records
Total distance covered for season 2019: 3902.6km (15th)
Total distance at high speed for 2019: 518.8km (13th)
Total sprints for season 2019: 3160 (12th)
Single-match records
Total distance single-match record for each club: 290.3km v Carlton, round eight
Total distance at high speed single-match record: 40.9km v Fremantle, round 11
Total sprints single-match record: 285 v Essendon, round six
Summary: Each of the games in which the Magpies posted season-high single-match records were cliffhanger contests in which they were forced to do a power of defensive running, with the Blues stretching them to their limits and Fremantle's speed being a constant worry in an upset loss at the MCG. - Ben Collins
TELSTRA TRACKER PLAYER RECORDS
Distance kings – average distance covered per match (minimum of two matches in 2019)
The Magpies' time-trial specialists, midfielders Tom Phillips and Steele Sidebottom, rank highly as expected while defender Jack Crisp has covered an extraordinary amount of territory given he only joined full training in mid-February.
1. Tom Phillips: 14.77km per match
2. Jack Crisp: 14.61km per match
3. Steele Sidebottom: 14.38km per match
FULL INJURY LIST Who's ruled out and who's a test?
Distance kings – single-match records for 2019
Crisp had produced three of the top four results, while Phillips has four of the top eight. Surprisingly, backman Brayden Maynard's season-best effort (15.4km) trumps that of Steele Sidebottom (15.25km).
1. Jack Crisp: 15.95km v Sydney, round 10
2. Tom Phillips: 15.91km v Carlton, round eight
3. Jack Crisp: 15.84km v North Melbourne, round 15
Speedsters – highest speeds recorded in 2019
Forward Jordan De Goey reached his top speed during his brilliant five-goal performance against Richmond in round two, as did defender Jeremy Howe, while Crisp beat all comers in the win over Port Adelaide in round seven. Jaidyn Stephenson (33.64km/h) and Brayden Maynard (33.48km/h) recorded the next fastest times.
1. Jack Crisp: 34.06km/h v Port Adelaide, round seven
2. Jeremy Howe: 33.98km/h v Richmond, round two
3. Jordan De Goey: 33.66km/h v Richmond, round two
TELSTRA TRACKER TEAM RECORDS
Season records
Total distance covered for season 2019: 3824.3km (17th)
Total distance at high speed for 2019: 462.1km (18th)
Total sprints for season 2019: 3291 (9th)
Single-match records
Total distance single-match record for each club: 288.8km v Melbourne, round three
Total distance at high speed single-match record: 40.9km v Fremantle, round nine
Total sprints single-match record: 297 v Greater Western Sydney, round 15
Summary: Essendon looked like they ran over the top of the Giants last week in their comeback win, and the data shows that's true. It was their highest number of sprints of any game of the season. In their first win of the season, in round three against Melbourne, the Bombers were also at their best according to the tracker numbers. - Callum Twomey
Distance kings – average distance covered per match (minimum of two matches in 2019)
Ham's sample size is small, given he has played only two games. But his endurance and running capacity is strong as a wingman.
1. Brayden Ham: 14.82km per match
2. Dyson Heppell: 14.52km per match
3. Mitch Brown: 14.12km per match
Distance kings – single-match records for 2019
The Bombers' skipper leads the way in the midfield with his gut-bursting run and consistent effort. McKenna's effort in round three is also noteworthy given it came when playing as a half-back.
1. Dyson Heppell: 15.69km v Richmond, round 10
2. Conor McKenna: 15.64km v Melbourne, round three
3. Dyson Heppell: 15.45km v Melbourne, round three
Speedsters – highest speeds recorded in 2019
No surprises here. The Bombers give the ball to Saad at half-back, wind him up and let him go. An exhilarating player. Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti and Mason Redman also rank highly.
1. Adam Saad: 34.61km/h v Fremantle, round nine
2. Adam Saad: 33.94km/h v Hawthorn, round 13
3. Adam Saad: 33.8km/h v Richmond, round 10
TELSTRA TRACKER TEAM RECORDS
Season records
Total distance covered for season 2019: 3941.7km (10th)
Total distance at high speed for 2019: 508.2km (15th)
Total sprints for season 2019: 3142 (12th)
Single-match records
Total distance single-match record for each club: 297.8km v Melbourne, round two
Total distance at high speed single-match record: 38.7km v West Coast, round six
Total sprints single-match record: 281 v Western Bulldogs, round nine
Summary: The Cats' single-match record came with the biggest win of the season against Melbourne to the tune of 80 points. Played at GMHBA Stadium, it exceeded all matches played at the wider expanses of the MCG. The Cats' game with the least ground covered came in the round four loss to Greater Western Sydney (266km). - Mitch Cleary
TELSTRA TRACKER PLAYER RECORDS
Distance kings – average distance covered per match (minimum of two matches in 2019)
Blicavs and Richmond's Ryan Garthwaite are the only two key defenders leading their club's counts, while Miers has shot past Kelly in his debut season, working up the wings in his high half-forward role.
1. Mark Blicavs: 14.93km per match
2. Gryan Miers: 14.59km per match
3. Tim Kelly: 14.46km per match
Distance kings – single-match records for 2019
It's no surprise that Miers and Kelly dominated the pre-season running in long sessions during December and January, accounting for eight of the top 10 individual Geelong games this year.
1. Mark Blicavs: 16.93km v Melbourne, round two
2. Gryan Miers: 16.78km v North Melbourne, round eight
3. Gryan Miers: 16.11km v Adelaide, round 15
Speedsters – highest speeds recorded in 2019
They may not have the fastest time clocked, but the Cats' top three are collectively a quicker trio than other in the competition. Rohan's arrival takes him to the top of the Geelong class.
1. Gary Rohan: 35.29km/h v North Melbourne, round eight
2. Tom Stewart: 35.28km/h v Gold Coast, round 10
3. Jordan Clark: 35.24km/h v North Melbourne, round eight
TELSTRA TRACKER TEAM RECORDS
Season records
Total distance covered for season 2019: 4021.1km (4th)
Total distance at high speed for 2019: 541.6km (7th)
Total sprints for season 2019: 2864 (16th)
Single-match records
Total distance single-match record for each club: 301.7km v Geelong, round 10
Total distance at high speed single-match record: 42.6km v Greater Western Sydney, round 11
Total sprints single-match record: 301 v Greater Western Sydney, round 11
Summary: The Suns can take pride in their figures. To be ranked fourth and seventh respectively for total distance and total sprint metres run in the competition is a credit to a mountain of work from a young team. - Michael Whiting
TELSTRA TRACKER PLAYER RECORDS
Distance kings – average distance covered per match (minimum of two matches in 2019)
The Suns forwards really work hard with their top three all playing in the front half of the ground. Corbett and Holman are known endurance men, but Sexton's inclusion is a huge tick for a guy that has improved year after year.
1. Josh Corbett: 14.82km per match
2. Alex Sexton: 14.48km per match
3. Nick Holman: 14.10km per match
Distance kings – single-match records for 2019
The round 11 thumping from Greater Western Sydney has provided two of the top three performances here, led by Gold Coast's annual time-trial king Josh Schoenfeld. Fellow wingman Wil Powell also did well to rack up almost 16km on a terribly wet day against Port Adelaide.
1. Josh Schoenfeld: 16.26km v Greater Western Sydney, round 11
2. Wil Powell: 15.95km v Port Adelaide, round nine
3. Josh Corbett: 15.90km v Greater Western Sydney, round 11
Speedsters – highest speeds recorded in 2019
Not only good at distance, Alex Sexton is the Suns' quickest in-game player. Charlie Ballard's prominence is a slight surprise give he's 195cm and still developing strength to match his height.
1. Alex Sexton: 33.69km/h v Western Bulldogs, round three
2. Charlie Ballard: 33.62km/h v North Melbourne, round 12
3. Jarrod Harbrow: 33.37km/h v Carlton, round four
TELSTRA TRACKER TEAM RECORDS
Season records
Total distance covered for season 2019: 3919.8km (14th)
Total distance at high speed for 2019: 518.9km (12th)
Total sprints for season 2019: 3454 (2nd)
Single-match records
Total distance single-match record for each club: 295.7km v Carlton, round nine
Total distance at high speed single-match record: 41.5km v Carlton, round nine
Total sprints single-match record: 315 v Gold Coast, round 11
Summary: The Giants love to spread at breakneck speed when they turn the ball over and with ball in hand, they're lethal, a reason they're ranked second for sprints. They're highly efficient with their ball movement thanks to players like Lachie Whitfield, Josh Kelly and Stephen Coniglio, which is shown in their distance rankings. - Adam Curley
TELSTRA TRACKER PLAYER RECORDS
Distance kings – average distance covered per match (minimum of two matches in 2019)
Little surprise that Whitfield and Taranto lead the way here, they're two of the Giants' best runners and cover plenty of territory. Whitfield is extremely damaging as a high half forward and Taranto has produced a breakout season in the midfield.
1. Lachie Whitfield: 14.97km per match
2. Tim Taranto: 14.59km per match
3. Daniel Lloyd: 13.57km per match
Distance kings – single-match records for 2019
Whitfield and Taranto share the top eight distances for the season (four each) to emphasise their elite endurance. Whitfield racked up 42 possessions, 12 marks, eight inside 50s and six rebound 50s against the Tigers.
1. Lachie Whitfield: 16.93km v Richmond, round three
2. Lachie Whitfield: 16.46km v West Coast, round two
3. Tim Taranto: 16.42km v Carlton, round nine
Speedsters – highest speeds recorded in 2019
Taylor's number one ranking might surprise some but the key defender is an outstanding athlete and uses his speed to shut down forwards on the lead. Reid has turned himself into a quality small defender, while Daniels has consolidated himself across half forward where his pace is vital.
1. Sam Taylor: 33.80km/h v Richmond, round three
2. Sam Reid: 33.62km/h v Melbourne, round 10
3. Brent Daniels: 33.41km/h v Essendon, round one
TELSTRA TRACKER TEAM RECORDS
Season records
Total distance covered for season 2019: 3929.5km (15th)
Total distance at high speed for 2019: 519.1km (13th)
Total sprints for season 2019: 3438 (4th)
Single-match records
Total distance single-match record for each club: 296.9km v Carlton, round six
Total distance at high speed single-match record: 41.7km v Carlton, round six
Total sprints single-match record: 304 v St Kilda, round four
Summary: The Hawks might have some of the AFL's best distance runners in Tom Scully and Isaac Smith, yet collectively they're among the lowest ranking teams in this area. They perhaps did their best running down in Launceston, where they recorded the most distance covered and the most distance covered at high speed in a single match. - Riley Beveridge
TELSTRA TRACKER PLAYER RECORDS
Distance kings – average distance covered per game (minimum of two games in 2019)
Tom Scully has put his lingering fitness concerns behind him to immediately become Hawthorn's best runner. Isaac Smith, long renowned as one of the best distant runners at the club, moves into second place after his arrival.
1. Tom Scully: 15.35km
2. Isaac Smith: 15.20km
3. Jaeger O'Meara: 14.53km
Distance kings – single-match records for 2019
Isaac Smith might hold the record for the most distance covered in a single match at the club this season, but Tom Scully appears destined to claim that from him. He's covered the most in the next four individual games.
1. Isaac Smith: 16.84km v Carlton, round six
2. Tom Scully: 16.65km v Port Adelaide, round 10
3. Tom Scully: 16.57km v Geelong, round five
Speedsters – highest speeds recorded in 2019:
Small forward Paul Puopolo leads all speedsters at Hawthorn. He's registered the quickest time by a fair distance ahead of Irish defender Conor Glass. Turning 32 later this year, Puopolo still has some miles left in his legs.
1. Paul Puopolo: 34.96km/h v Greater Western Sydney, round eight
2. Conor Glass: 33.88km/h v Sydney, round 14
3. Paul Puopolo: 33.84km/h v Western Bulldogs, round two
TELSTRA TRACKER TEAM RECORDS
Season records
Total distance covered for season 2019: 3969.3km (AFL rank No.6)
Total distance at high speed for 2019: 547.2km (AFL rank No.5)
Total sprints for season 2019: 2951 (AFL rank No.15)
Single-match records
Total distance single-match record for each club: 304.8km v Geelong, round two
Total distance at high speed single-match record: 41.5km v Essendon, round three
Total sprints single-match record: 279 v Essendon, round three
Summary: The loss to Essendon featured a mammoth amount of goals by modern standards (38), so it makes sense the Dees' sprint and distance run at high-speed numbers came in at No.1 this year. Melbourne hasn't run more than it did against Geelong, which was its heaviest defeat of 2019. That seems logical, because the Demons would have spent plenty of time running defensively. - Dinny Navaratnam
TELSTRA TRACKER PLAYER RECORDS
Distance kings – average distance covered per match (minimum of two matches in 2019)
Neal-Bullen is a no-brainer for the top spot. Salem is putting together a career-best campaign across half-back but is posting numbers expected of a midfielder, averaging 25 disposals.
1. Alex Neal-Bullen: 14.15km per match
2. Christian Salem: 14.02km per match
3. Billy Stretch: 13.86km per match
Distance kings – single-match records for 2019
At his best, Neal-Bullen is a lock in the best side because of the pressure he brings all day. He just does not stop running, and that is evident in the stats. His form has dipped this season but is hasn't stopped him from covering an immense amount of territory.
1. Alex Neal-Bullen: 16.58km v Geelong, round two
2. Alex Neal-Bullen: 16.17km v Brisbane, round 15
3. Alex Neal-Bullen: 15.95km v Port Adelaide, round one
Speedsters – highest speeds recorded in 2019
The natural question here is to ask where Jayden Hunt features. He comes in with the fourth and fifth quickest efforts. It's surprising he doesn't feature on the podium but the two ahead of him are seriously fast.
1. Sam Frost: 34.56km/h v St Kilda, round five
2. Sam Frost: 34.52km/h v Adelaide, round 11
3. Oskar Baker: 33.91km/h v Greater Western Sydney, round 10
TELSTRA TRACKER TEAM RECORDS
Season records
Total distance covered for season 2019: 3955km (8th)
Total distance at high speed for 2019: 517.5km (14th)
Total sprints for season 2019: 3357 (7th)
Single-match records
Total distance single-match record for each club: 293.2km v Sydney, round nine
Total distance at high speed single-match record: 43.1km v Brisbane, round two
Total sprints single-match record: 282 v Western Bulldogs, round 10
The sole time the Kangaroos won from their season highs above was in total sprints against the Bulldogs, and this proved a key indicator for them under Brad Scott. Winning or losing this category under Scott in the first 10 rounds equated with the final result. It was the opposite for Rhyce Shaw's opening three matches in charge, before they narrowly outsprinted the Pies on Saturday night. - Marc McGowan
TELSTRA TRACKER PLAYER RECORDS
Distance kings – average distance covered per match (minimum of two matches in 2019)
Ben Brown's running ability for a player standing 200cm is remarkable and this data comes as no surprise. Trent Dumont's another noted endurance athlete, while Jared Polec's arrival has given North's running stocks a huge boost.
1. Ben Brown: 15.62km per match
2. Trent Dumont: 14.63km per match
3. Jared Polec: 14.35km per match
Distance kings – single-match records for 2019
Kicking three goals has rarely taken more effort. That was Ben Brown's output in round two when he ticked over 17km in distance. The star forward fills up seven of North's top 10 performances in this area, with Trent Dumont responsible for the rest.
1. Ben Brown: 17.28km v Brisbane, round two
2. Ben Brown: 16.13km v Western Bulldogs, round 10
3. Ben Brown: 16.09km v Geelong, round eight
Speedsters – highest speeds recorded in 2019
Defender Robbie Tarrant and forward Cameron Zurhaar have four of the five fastest times recorded at North Melbourne this year. Majak Daw's typically a good performer in this category.
1. Robbie Tarrant: 34.13km/h v Fremantle, round one
2. Robbie Tarrant: 33.88km/h v Collingwood, round 15
3. Cameron Zurhaar: 33.48km/h v Gold Coast, round 12
TELSTRA TRACKER TEAM RECORDS
Season records
Total distance covered for season 2019: 4033.5km (3rd)
Total distance at high speed for 2019: 556.8km (4th)
Total sprints for season 2019: 3422 (6th)
Single-match records
Total distance single-match record for each club: 302.9km v Carlton, round two
Total distance at high speed single-match record: 43.7km v Collingwood, round seven
Total sprints single-match record: 286 v Fremantle, round 13
Summary: An up-tempo game style that encourages the Power to take the game on is represented in the distance they have covered. They ran the Blues off their feet in round two, but found themselves second to the ball and had to do a lot of chasing in losses to Collingwood in round seven, and Fremantle in round 13. - Lee Gaskin
TELSTRA TRACKER PLAYER RECORDS
Distance kings – average distance covered per match (minimum of two matches in 2019)
Duursma's been an immediate replacement for Jared Polec on the wing. Powell-Pepper's running hasn't been enough to keep him in the senior side, while Drew has worked hard when he's had his opportunities.
1. Xavier Duursma 14.9km per match
2. Sam Powell-Pepper 14.78km per match
3. Willem Drew 14.3km per match
Distance kings – single-match records for 2019
The 18th overall pick in the 2018 NAB AFL Draft, 18-year-old Duursma has been a revelation for the Power with his elite motor and ability to get up and down the ground.
1. Xavier Duursma: 17.37km v Carlton, round two
2. Xavier Duursma: 16.34km v Brisbane, round three
3. Xavier Duursma: 16.26km v Adelaide, round eight
Speedsters – highest speeds recorded in 2019
Burton provided great drive out of defence with 22 disposals in the Power's round five upset of the reigning premiers in Perth. It's surprising that none of the top-five speeds belong to small forwards.
1. Ryan Burton: 34.99 km/h v West Coast, round five
2. Justin Westhoff: 34.31km/h v Fremantle, round 13
3. Dougal Howard: 34.02km/h v Adelaide, round eight
TELSTRA TRACKER TEAM RECORDS
Season records
Total distance covered for season 2019: 3932.2km (11th)
Total distance at high speed for 2019: 579.9km (1st)
Total sprints for season 2019: 3909 (1st)
Single-match records
Total distance single-match record for each club: 289.3km v Carlton, round one
Total distance at high speed single-match record: 46.3km v Western Bulldogs, round seven
Total sprints single-match record: 339 v Western Bulldogs, round seven
Summary: Unsurprisingly for a team that prides itself on manic pressure from small forwards, Richmond has both the highest number of sprints and the longest distance covered at high speed in the competition. Interestingly, the greatest number of sprints came from a match the Tigers lost badly, against the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium. - Sarah Black
TELSTRA TRACKER PLAYER RECORDS
Distance kings – average distance covered per match (minimum of two matches in 2019)
At 192 centimetres tall, Ryan Garthwaite is an unlikely endurance athlete, but as one of Richmond's few fit key defenders, he has had to clock up the kilometres. There's no surprise Ellis and Lambert, both noted runners, complete the top three.
1. Ryan Garthwaite: 15.60km per match
2. Brandon Ellis: 15.45km per match
3. Kane Lambert: 14.71km per match
Distance kings – single-match records for 2019
Just four players take the top 10 records for Richmond, with Kane Lambert and Jack Graham also featuring. The wide expanses of Optus Stadium pushed Ellis and Garthwaite, while the defender's record game against the Bombers is even more impressive considered it was played in torrential rain.
1. Ryan Garthwaite: 16.76km v Essendon, round 10
2. Ryan Garthwaite: 16.69km v Fremantle, round eight
3. Brandon Ellis: 16.44km v Fremantle, round eight
Speedsters – highest speeds recorded in 2019
Half-back flanker Markov has recorded the highest speed in 2019 not just for Richmond but the entire competition. Surprisingly, none of Richmond's large mosquito fleet of small forwards feature, with the highly athletic 194cm Balta taking out the minor placings.
1. Oleg Markov: 37.40km/h v Collingwood, round two
2. Noah Balta: 34.96km/h v Hawthorn, round nine
3. Noah Balta: 34.92km/h v GWS, round three
TELSTRA TRACKER TEAM RECORDS
Season records
Total distance covered for season 2019: 3954.5km (9th)
Total distance at high speed for 2019: 559.5km (3rd)
Total sprints for season 2019: 3430k (5th)
Single-match records
Total distance single-match record for each club: 290.5km v Greater Western Sydney, round seven
Total distance at high speed single-match record: 44.4km v Brisbane, round 14
Total sprints single-match record: 292 v Gold Coast, round one
Summary: Football manager Simon Lethlean declared in February his team was the fittest in the competition. Relatively high rankings in total distance at high speed and total sprints, two categories that measure the ability to repeat intense efforts, go some way to back up Lethlean's assertion, but ultimately his claim is hard to verify without having every player in the competition take part in a NAB AFL Draft-style Combine. - Dinny Navaratnam
TELSTRA TRACKER PLAYER RECORDS
Distance kings – average distance covered per match (minimum of two matches in 2019)
Considered among the most professional players at the club, it's not surprising Billings features at the top of this list. His childhood mate Sinclair is among the better runners at the club and Battle has been incredibly impressive after being thrown down back, having previously been a forward.
1. Jack Billings: 14.48km per match
2. Jack Sinclair: 14.31km per match
3. Josh Battle: 13.92km per match
Distance kings – single-match records for 2019
It makes sense the top game here was against Port, because the Saints were chasing their opposition all day as they were thumped by the Power. Lonie was buzzing around up forward against the Hawks, bagging 3.5. That was probably his best game of the season, and the same could be said about Billings' performance when St Kilda overcame Gold Coast.
1. Jack Sinclair: 15.77km v Port Adelaide, round 11
2. Jack Lonie: 15.6km v Hawthorn, round four
3. Jack Billings: 15.57km v Gold Coast, round 13
Speedsters – highest speeds recorded in 2019
The Saints identified a need for speed during last season, which is why they went after Dean Kent from Melbourne. His form was up and down before a season-ending quad injury but he did add pace to go with his talking aggression. Also featuring in the top-five are Shane Savage and Tim Membrey.
1. Dean Kent: 34.49km/h v Essendon, round two
2. Dean Kent: 34.38km/h v Gold Coast, round 13
3. Jimmy Webster: 34.08km/h v Gold Coast, round one
TELSTRA TRACKER TEAM RECORDS
Season records
Total distance covered for season 2019: 4078.3km (1st)
Total distance at high speed for 2019: 527.3km (10th)
Total sprints for season 2019: 2648 (17th)
Single-match records
Total distance single-match record for each club: 306.3km v Melbourne, round four
Total distance at high speed single-match record: 42.5km v Richmond, round five
Total sprints single-match record: 259 v Carlton, round three
Summary: Leg speed in the midfield has long been an issue for the Swans and these figures show that, despite the additions of Zak Jones, Oliver Florent and Isaac Heeney in recent years, explosive pace remains a worry. Players such as Luke Parker, Josh Kennedy and George Hewett rely on their work in close at contests and use their big tanks to get to as many stoppages as possible all over the ground. - Adam Curley
TELSTRA TRACKER PLAYER RECORDS
Distance kings – average distance covered per match (minimum of two matches in 2019)
McCartin is the biggest surprise here and his numbers show just how hard he works up and down the ground as a key forward. Lloyd loves to run from half-back and Clarke has had some important run-with roles, so his job relies on his endurance.
1. Tom McCartin: 14.70km per match
2. Jake Lloyd: 14.48km per match
3. Ryan Clarke: 14.44km per match
Distance kings – single-match records for 2019
Clarke has three of the top four records in this section, with his best coming against his former side North Melbourne when he was no doubt motivated for a big game. McCartin's round three effort against the Dees netted him just nine touches and three marks, but his workrate is outstanding.
1. Ryan Clarke: 17.28km v North Melbourne, round nine
2. Ryan Clarke: 16.95km v West Coast, round 12
3. Tom McCartin: 16.17km v Melbourne, round four
Speedsters – highest speeds recorded in 2019
Franklin and Blakey are two of the Swans most explosive talents and these numbers show just how hard they are to cover inside 50 for the Swans. Melican's body is finally allowing him to play some consistent footy and his closing speed gives him a real advantage in defence.
1. Lance Franklin: 35.23km/h v Richmond, round five
2. Nick Blakey: 33.98km/h v West Coast, round 12
3. Lewis Melican: 33.70km/h v North Melbourne, round nine
TELSTRA TRACKER TEAM RECORDS
Season records
Total distance covered for season 2019: 3930.6km (No.12)
Total distance at high speed for 2019: 531.4km (No.9)
Total sprints for season 2019: 3300 (No.8)
Single-match records
Total distance single-match record for each club: 291.8km v Adelaide, round 10
Total distance at high speed single-match record: 44.2km v Geelong, round six
Total sprints single-match record: 327 v Greater Western Sydney, round two
Summary: The win over the Crows at Adelaide Oval was pivotal for West Coast's season and it's not a great surprise that tops the charts after an incredible second-half fightback. The high-speed record is interesting, given the Eagles were chasing tail all day in Geelong. - Travis King
TELSTRA TRACKER PLAYER RECORDS
Distance kings – average distance covered per match (minimum of two matches in 2019)
Smith has only played twice this year, which could inflate his numbers a touch, but there is no denying the ex-Pie is the Eagles' aerobic king after winning the time trial and Yo-Yo tests pre-season.
1. Josh Smith: 15.63km per match
2. Andrew Gaff: 14.29km per match
3. Jackson Nelson: 14.29km per match
Distance kings – single-match records for 2019
Gaff's effort against the Crows is the most territory covered in a match by any player this season, and is all the more remarkable given he was crunched by Cam Ellis-Yolmen in the first quarter, before finishing with 33 disposals.
1. Andrew Gaff: 17.60km v Adelaide, round 10
2. Andrew Gaff: 16.44km v Hawthorn, round 15
3. Mark Hutchings: 16.38km v Melbourne, round nine
Speedsters – highest speeds recorded in 2019
Petruccelle was running on top of the ground against the Power, when he booted five of West Coast's eight goals and earned the NAB AFL Rising Star nomination. You can't help but wonder if Liam Ryan hit top speed before launching for a Mark of the Year contender over Max Gawn.
1. Jack Petruccelle: 35.60 km/h v Port Adelaide, round five
2. Liam Ryan: 35.28 km/h v Melbourne, round nine
3. Brad Sheppard: 35.14 km/h v Collingwood, round three
TELSTRA TRACKER TEAM RECORDS
Season records
Total distance covered for season 2019: 3955.1km (8th)
Total distance at high speed for 2019: 533.7km (9th)
Total sprints for season 2019: 3038 (15th)
Single-match records
Total distance single-match record for each club: 296.4km v Carlton, round 13
Total distance at high speed single-match record: 46.3km v Richmond, round seven
Total sprints single-match record: 288 v Collingwood, round 14
Summary: Two of the Bulldogs' three records resulted in wins, the other a gutsy loss to the Pies. The total distance at high speed and sprints both occurred post-bye, which might point to the benefit of the week off. All three games were at Marvel Stadium in dry conditions under the roof. - Paul Bastin
TELSTRA TRACKER PLAYER RECORDS
Distance kings – average distance covered per match (minimum of two matches in 2019)
Elite runners and consistent ball winners, it's no coincidence. Lipinski has had a significant impact since being selected in the senior side the past five games.
1. Lachie Hunter: 14.46km per match
2. Patrick Lipinski: 14.17km per match
3. Marcus Bontempelli: 13.97km per match
Distance kings – single-match records for 2019
All three of Hunter, Bontempelli and Lipinski clocked over 15km first-up after the bye in a dramatic win over the Blues. The game went down to the wire and evidently demanded power running until the very last moments.
1. Lachie Hunter: 15.86km v Carlton, round 13
2. Marcus Bontempelli: 15.70km v Carlton, round 13
3. Patrick Lipinski: 15.37km v Carlton, round 13
Speedsters – highest speeds recorded in 2019
As one of only two players across the competition to top 36km/h, Johannisen has been the second-fastest man in the AFL during the 2019 season. Defender Crozier is perhaps a slight surprise, ahead of Richards who is more renowned for his pace.
1. Jason Johannisen: 36.40km/h v Carlton, round 13
2. Hayden Crozier: 34.56km/h v Brisbane, round eight
3. Jason Johannisen: 34.02km/h v Fremantle, round six
