{"id":73824,"date":"2025-04-24T10:26:06","date_gmt":"2025-04-24T00:26:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/?p=73824"},"modified":"2026-07-03T10:29:58","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T00:29:58","slug":"would-you-rather-afl-april-2025-edition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/2025\/04\/would-you-rather-afl-april-2025-edition\/","title":{"rendered":"Would You Rather: AFL April 2025 Edition"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>I am nearly 30, which means my days of playing Would You Rather are over.<\/p>\n<p>Or so I thought!<\/p>\n<p>Instead of being asked whether I\u2019d rather fight one Shane Mumford sized duck or a thousand duck sized Shane Mumfords (one duck obviously, someone else bring the pancakes and plum sauce), I thought I\u2019d ask you, dear reader, a few questions.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ll give you my own answer as well.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s go!<\/p>\n<h3>1. Would you rather score from the back half or the front half?<\/h3>\n<p>This year, more than any year in recent memory, you just want to be scoring. In that sense, it\u2019s like asking if you\u2019d rather date Sydney Sweeney or Em Rata?<\/p>\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?id=1913413022053212170&#038;dnt=true&#038;lang=en_AU&#038;width=500&#038;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.neds.com.au%2Fblog%2F2025%2F04%2Fwould-you-rather-afl-april-2025-edition%2F\" scrolling=\"no\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\" loading=\"lazy\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" style=\"border:0;\" title=\"X Post\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>You\u2019re just happy to be part of the conversation.<\/p>\n<p>Still, it\u2019s worth considering what your team prioritises.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sen.com.au\/news\/2025\/03\/28\/champion-data-analyst-exclusively-reveals-new-measurement-that-clubs-are\">I bring this up because, as a nerd curious footy fan, there has been a lot of chat about ball movement becoming as, if not more important than the front half game.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/2025\/04\/three-things-you-can-trust-already-for-season-2025\/\">I have written about how transition<\/a> has started catching up to the front half game in terms of scoring.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s been especially true this season as speed of ball movement feels like it has cranked up around the league, other than for Fremantle.<\/p>\n<p>But\u2026give me the front-half game.<\/p>\n<p>Even with league-wide shifts, teams still kick an average of a goal a game more from the front half.<\/p>\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?id=1913103926099956131&#038;dnt=true&#038;lang=en_AU&#038;width=500&#038;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.neds.com.au%2Fblog%2F2025%2F04%2Fwould-you-rather-afl-april-2025-edition%2F\" scrolling=\"no\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\" loading=\"lazy\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" style=\"border:0;\" title=\"X Post\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Take Geelong v Adelaide game in Round 5, with 50ppg, the Crows are the best back half team since at least 2021.<\/p>\n<p>Geelong turned the screws on Adelaide in the second half of that game and shut down their back half game.<\/p>\n<p>The Cats then made hay from their territory dominance, kicking 9.9 from their forward half.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Adelaide Crows v Geelong Cats Highlights | Round 5, 2025 | AFL\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/kzImhJxLeJ8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s just hard to score consistently from the back half, even if you\u2019re good at it. The Bulldogs are the most efficient at scoring from back half chains, and they do it less than 20% of the time.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s like shooting mid-range jumpers versus layups, it\u2019s cooler to shoot mid-rangers than it is to shoot lay-ups.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Kobe Bryant dominated the midrange and hit unassisted jumpers at a historic rate | Signature Shots\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zV7T2TLSz4k?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>But ultimately, they\u2019re the worth the same and one is easier.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Verdict: Front half <\/strong><\/p>\n<h3>2. Would you rather be certain that Harley Reid has Jake Stringer\u2019s career, or let his career play out as it currently is?<\/h3>\n<p>You\u2019re going to have an instinctive reaction.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m Tom Hagen here it\u2019s &#8211; my job to talk some sense into you.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Godfather I   Sollozzo talks with Tom Hagen\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/pESAyJr66QE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Stringer has played 216 games for 370 goals, he\u2019s also an All-Australian and a premiership player.<\/p>\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?id=1913513175481299274&#038;dnt=true&#038;lang=en_AU&#038;width=500&#038;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.neds.com.au%2Fblog%2F2025%2F04%2Fwould-you-rather-afl-april-2025-edition%2F\" scrolling=\"no\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\" loading=\"lazy\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" style=\"border:0;\" title=\"X Post\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>He\u2019s a burst-based power player with endurance issues.<\/p>\n<p>He\u2019s mostly a forward who pinch hits in the middle when his team is looking for spark?<\/p>\n<p>Are you positive Reid is going to be better than that?<\/p>\n<p>Because I have to tell you, with Reid\u2019s indifferent start this season and his steak-light first season, I\u2019m not certain he is.<\/p>\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?id=1838167757868941353&#038;dnt=true&#038;lang=en_AU&#038;width=500&#038;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.neds.com.au%2Fblog%2F2025%2F04%2Fwould-you-rather-afl-april-2025-edition%2F\" scrolling=\"no\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\" loading=\"lazy\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" style=\"border:0;\" title=\"X Post\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>West Coast seems to have similar views. In the first two games of 2025, Reid attended 70% of centre bounces.<\/p>\n<p>From round three onwards, he hasn\u2019t been to more than 46%.<\/p>\n<p>This year, looking a bit heavy and generally lacking in juice, he\u2019s been mostly a forward who has pinch hit.<\/p>\n<p>And he\u2019s not a particularly impactful forward either, averaging just 4.3 score involvements per game.<\/p>\n<p>Not counting the COVID-shortened games in 2020, that would be Jake Stringer\u2019s worst year since 2013.<\/p>\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?id=1783367364135854095&#038;dnt=true&#038;lang=en_AU&#038;width=500&#038;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.neds.com.au%2Fblog%2F2025%2F04%2Fwould-you-rather-afl-april-2025-edition%2F\" scrolling=\"no\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\" loading=\"lazy\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" style=\"border:0;\" title=\"X Post\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>I still think you have to pick the potential, but you thought about it didn\u2019t you?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Verdict: Let it play out<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3>3. Would you rather have a premiership ticket on Brisbane or the Bulldogs?<\/h3>\n<p>Despite being 5-1, Brisbane is down on everything.<\/p>\n<p>Last year, Brisbane led the league in every single transition stat, this year, they lead none.<\/p>\n<p>Last year Brisbane led footy in marks, with 111 per game, this year, they still lead but with 103.<\/p>\n<p>Last year, Brisbane scored 53 points off turnover, this year, they\u2019re down to 49.<\/p>\n<p>They aren\u2019t as dangerous without Joe Daniher.<\/p>\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?id=1841708069266599972&#038;dnt=true&#038;lang=en_AU&#038;width=500&#038;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.neds.com.au%2Fblog%2F2025%2F04%2Fwould-you-rather-afl-april-2025-edition%2F\" scrolling=\"no\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\" loading=\"lazy\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" style=\"border:0;\" title=\"X Post\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>The lack of a genuine key is infecting everything Predictably they\u2019re taking about two fewer marks per inside 50, but they\u2019re also not as dangerous on the ground. Last year they averaged 18 ground ball gets a game, this year with less marking threat, they\u2019re down to 13.<\/p>\n<p>As much as Nathan Buckley loves Logan Morriss, and he does, the Lions lack gravitas &#8211; they\u2019re <em>Yellowstone <\/em>without Kevin Costner.<\/p>\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?id=1855809613137875429&#038;dnt=true&#038;lang=en_AU&#038;width=500&#038;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.neds.com.au%2Fblog%2F2025%2F04%2Fwould-you-rather-afl-april-2025-edition%2F\" scrolling=\"no\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\" loading=\"lazy\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" style=\"border:0;\" title=\"X Post\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Given the Dogs just got Bontempelli back, will soon get Treloar, and heard the sacred news that Sam Darcy didn\u2019t tear his ACL it\u2019s not crazy to pick the ascending 3-3 Dogs over the 5-1 Lions.<\/p>\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?id=1914128686749794658&#038;dnt=true&#038;lang=en_AU&#038;width=500&#038;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.neds.com.au%2Fblog%2F2025%2F04%2Fwould-you-rather-afl-april-2025-edition%2F\" scrolling=\"no\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\" loading=\"lazy\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" style=\"border:0;\" title=\"X Post\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s particularly true when you look at their win over St Kilda where Aaron Naughton showed a bit of form, Joel Freijah played a career best game, and Matt Kenneddy is assimilating into the team alongside younger more explosive players like Ed Richards and Ryley Sanders.<\/p>\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?id=1913792538445840760&#038;dnt=true&#038;lang=en_AU&#038;width=500&#038;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.neds.com.au%2Fblog%2F2025%2F04%2Fwould-you-rather-afl-april-2025-edition%2F\" scrolling=\"no\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\" loading=\"lazy\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" style=\"border:0;\" title=\"X Post\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Even with Darcy\u2019s injury and the Jamarra Saga\u2122, I\u2019d still rather have a ticket on the Dogs.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Verdict: Dogs at $17<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I am nearly 30, which means my days of playing Would You Rather are over. Or so I thought! Instead of being asked whether I\u2019d rather fight one Shane Mumford sized duck or a thousand duck sized Shane Mumfords (one duck obviously, someone else bring the pancakes and plum sauce), I thought I\u2019d ask you,&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":37,"featured_media":66537,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,8298,598,344],"tags":[29,8260],"hub_post_cat":[],"class_list":["post-73824","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-australian-rules","category-guywholikessport","category-special-interest","category-sports","tag-afl","tag-guywholikessport"],"acf":{"md_tip_date":null,"md_tip_date_end":null,"md_market_url":"","tip_date":"24\/04\/2025","event_country":"Australia"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73824","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/37"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=73824"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73824\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/66537"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=73824"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=73824"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=73824"},{"taxonomy":"hub_post_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hub_post_cat?post=73824"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}