Two of the AFL’s most damaging wingmen, Rory Sloane and Sidebottom, will be in action at the MCG on Sunday evening.
Sloane and Sidebottom are very different players, but influential in their own right and will play key roles in their team’s fortunes this weekend.
Adelaide’s acting co-captain Sloane spends more time ‘inside’ than Sidebottom, attending a greater number of stoppages and winning a larger percentage of contested possessions.
Sidebottom is one of Collingwood’s best ball users. The hard-running Magpie averages more uncontested possessions (15.9) than any of his teammates and is also a classy finisher. He’s kicked more goals than his Crows counterpart despite playing three fewer games. However, Sloane averages twice as many score assists than Sidebottom – ranked equal-third in the League.
Here’s the statistical breakdown sorted by ‘averages’ to account for the difference in games played:
Age
Sloane – 24
Sidebottom – 23
AFL games played
Sloane – 94
Sidebottom – 121
Disposals
Sloane – 23.9 (average)
Sidebottom – 25.5 (average)
Contested possessions
Sloane – 12.1 (average)
Sidebottom – 8.9 (average)
Uncontested possessions
Sloane – 12.5 (average)
Sidebottom – 15.9 (average)
Marks
Sloane – 5.1 (average)
Sidebottom – 5.8 (average)
Tackles
Sloane – 6.8 (average) – ranked sixth in the AFL
Sidebottom – 4.0 (average)
Clearances
Sloane – 4.0 (average)
Sidebottom – 2.5 (average)
Inside 50ms
Sloane – 4.6 (average) – ranked 12th in the AFL
Sidebottom – 3.2 (average)
Goals
Sloane – 6 (total)
Sidebottom – 9 (total)
Score assists
Sloane – 1.8 (average) – ranked equal-third in the AFL
Sidebottom – 0.9 (average)
