U got that rite
Kings of the rain: Richmond revealed as AFL’s best wet weather team in Reddit research
- May 29, 2020 5:32pm
- by FOX SPORTS
- Source: FOX SPORTS
New research has found which AFL clubs perform best in the rain. Photo: Michael KleinSource: News Corp Australia
A sports fan has discovered which AFL clubs are the kings of wet weather footy, and which sides struggle when soaked.
Reddit user DataMadeInteresting posted their findings on Friday afternoon, using a programming language called Python to gather weather data for every game over the last three years.
“(I) categorised the conditions into Dry, Slippery, Wet (and) Very Wet, by using precipitation, dew point and temperature,” they wrote.
“It also categories the wind into no wind, light breeze, windy, very windy.”
Then they compared each AFL team’s winning percentage in games classified as ‘dry’ to games ‘slippery’ or wetter.
The research found rain may be the secret to Richmond’s success. Since 2017, the Tigers have won 75.7 per cent of their games, but a ridiculous 93.3 per cent of them when it rains. That was the biggest positive gap of any side.
Richmond has lost just one game in the rain over the past three years. Photo: Michael KleinSource: News Corp Australia
This seems to suggest the Tigers’ game style perfectly suits wet weather footy. Of note, their win over West Coast last home and away season saw Damien Hardwick’s side trail early before rain fell in the second half, on route to a comeback.
Other clubs that have performed well in wet conditions were Port Adelaide (55.2 per cent overall win rate, 70.6 per cent in the rain) and Gold Coast (19.7 per cent overall, 33.3 per cent in the rain).
The worst teams were two Marvel Stadium tenants - which makes some sense - in St Kilda (36.4 per cent win rate overall, 14.3 per cent when wet) and the Western Bulldogs (46.3 per cent overall, 25 per cent when wet).
Perhaps not coincidentally, previous research has found the Saints and Bulldogs play the fewest games of any clubs in rainy conditions.
AFL CLUBS’ PERFORMANCE IN WET WEATHER (2017-19)
Club - Overall win percentage/Dry win percentage/Wet win percentage
Adelaide - 56.5/61.6/40
Brisbane Lions - 38.2/36.8/45.5
Carlton - 22.7/22.2/25
Collingwood - 58.3/60/52.9
Essendon - 52.9/53.2/50
Fremantle - 37.9/37.7/38.5
Geelong Cats - 63/64.9/56.3
Gold Coast Suns - 19.7/17.5/33.3
GWS Giants - 60/61.3/53.8
Hawthorn - 52.9/53.6/50
Melbourne - 47.8/49.1/41.7
North Melbourne - 42.4/41.9/50
Port Adelaide - 55.2/50/70.6
Richmond - 75.7/71.2/93.3
St Kilda - 36.4/39/14.3
Sydney Swans - 53.6/55.4/46.2
West Coast Eagles - 65.8/66.7/60
Western Bulldogs - 46.3/49.2/25
Read all about it good team good at stuff.
2 Likes
Time to leave Marvel. Playing only 6 MCG games for the whole year isn’t great both from an on-field and off-field perspective. Meanwhile, Collingwood have 14 MCG games, Richmond have 13 and Carlton have 9.
I doubt many casual fans will sign up as members with only 6 MCG games considering we’re also expected to be bad. I guess that’s what happens when you become irrelevant.
3 Likes
Totally agree as per my comments in the fixture chat. I am non the wiser why we have dropped from 8 to 6 games at the G, and am not happy about it, but such is life. Maybe they are thinking next year will be another year whereby we only have 50% crowds at games thus getting a bit more use of Marvel (AFL owned) in a still interrupted year, but using that theory it is even more reason to be playing games at the G, 50k attendance over 25k. There may be many members who will not be able to get tickets to certain games.
I would like the club to actually have a stance of trying to get more games at the G. Didn’t Brasher have this as one of his targets, or am I just dreaming and making stuff up to suit my own wishes?
Ideally you want to be playing all games against Magpies, Tigers, Blues, Hawks and Demons at the G. These so called G tenated teams should also be forced to play at Marvel against interstate teams and low crowd drawing games. Basically the G and Marvel should be shared in a more even manner across all VIC clubs.
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In covid times we could play our home games at the hanger at Tulla.
Massive home ground advantage.
Nackers would give us much better commentary than the so called professionals.
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I think Xavier Campbell has been explicit on this, he’s said that from the membership surveys… Docklands stadium is very popular, and that the club has no plans to change it’s home ground.
I imagine it has a lot to do with many elderly members who can sit comfortably in the stands without wind or rain… plus have good access to public transport.
People can also access bars and restaurants close to the stadium.
I’d prefer to move to the MCG for atmosphere and because it provides a home ground advantage if we ever play finals again.
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I’d love to see these survey results, do you know if they’re available?
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With the new docklands development it will only get harder for us to move away.
The AFL will throw a tonne of money at us and we will take it.
When does our contract with marvel end? Must be soon surely
2025
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Agreed. Unfortunately, it feels like we’re moving further and further away from a return to the G’. I’m a fan who prefers watching footy in rain, hail, or shine. I think it’s the unpredictability I enjoy.
For me, Marvel embodies everything that’s wrong with Essendon. Soulless, protected, and comfortable.
11 Likes
Not going to be popular with this opinion but I like Marvel. So many times I’ve sat there in the dead of winter with the hail clattering against the roof thinking Thank God this isn’t at the G.
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Ah right. Survey for people who are members (which is most likely a small proportion of all members that were surveyed). It’s not unlike the club to lack the initiative to think beyond their comfort zone. Do that same survey for Collingwood, Richmond and Hawthorn members. It’ll be a landslide in favour of the MCG.
Also, those members will still be here if we move to the MCG anyway. No football fan hates the MCG because that’s where finals are played. There are many people who don’t sign up as members because of our home game arrangement at Docklands. Most casual fans prefer the MCG over Marvel simply because there are more General Admission seats available. It’s more convenient. Forget making last-minute plans to an Essendon Docklands game. Any club that wants to grow needs to target casual fans the most.
We’ve stagnated our growth after moving to Docklands. We’re now at a point where we are regressing as a football club. The fact that Xavier said the club has no plans to move confirms to me that he is part of the problem at Essendon, though that was already obvious before.
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Agree. I too like Marvel, and pretty much for the same reason you state.
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Spot on assessment.
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From a selfish point of view I prefer to watch footy at marvel under the roof. But I think it benefits the team more to play at the MCG
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With all this knowledge I wonder why the club does any surveys at all, they could just contact you as you claim to have all the answers.
bang on
I think it embodies Essendon today, it’s 100% about supporter comfort… than the club’s growth and onfield success.
We expect players to drop their individuals needs and accolades for the success of the club… something which hasnt really happened since we moved to Docklands.
The mentality across the club is the same. I’ve got no issues with people saying they prefer to sit in the comfort of Docklands… but it’s become a misguided theme across the whole club, that we can grow and be successful while being comfortable and not taking risks.
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