GVL Data

GVL Data | Smith the GVL’s leading aerialist

By Rohan Aldous

Jun 26, 2022

Frequent flyer: Lachie Smith’s marking has been a feature of his decorated Kyabam career. This season he is the leading marker in the competition and dominates the intercept marking category.

Champion Kyabram key position player Lachie Smith has confirmed his status as the foremost aerialist in the Goulburn Valley league with the release of GVL Data statistics last week.

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Smith is 20 marks clear of his nearest opposition in regard to intercept marking, averaging almost six a week with a total of 59 from his 10 games.

His nearest rival is Mansfield’s key defender, and former Gold Coast player, Jack Hutchins.

Smith is not alone for Kyabram in regard to his marking prowess, another of the Bombers’ big men — Jason Morgan — fourth on the intercept marking list with 30 so far this season.

But it is Smith who is head and shoulders clear as the GVL’s top marking player, claiming not only the mantle as the number one intercept marker, but also second overall in contested marks and with the most total marks so far this season in the league.

He has taken a total of 90 marks so far this year, clear of Seymour’s Riley Mason (87), Benalla’s Jake Pallpratt (86) and Echuca’s Ruory Kirkby (84).

It is Kirkby, top team Echuca’s key target in attack, who has taken the most contested marks (39). Kirky is fresh from a 10-goal performance on the weekend.

Smith has taken 36 contested marks, while teammates Thomas Holman (sixth with 21) and Morgan (11th with 19) also freature promintently in the statistical category.

Holman is the only other Kyabram player to lead a statistical category to this stage of the season. He is the number one score assist player in the competition, directly responsible for 22 Kyabram goals.

He is ahead of Euroa’s Lachlan Hill (20) and Echuca’s Daniel Willis (19) in this statistic.

Holman’s nine games this year have also netted him the most free kicks of any Kyabram player (12th in the league with 20).

When it comes to the whistle blowers, however, mid-fielder Zach Keogh attracts the most attention.

Keogh is 17th on the list of frees for (19) and fourth in the frees against stat, with 24 decisions going against him.

Kyabram’s status as the team to have given away the most free kicks this season has been influenced by the high ranking in this category of Keogh, Zach Norris (ninth with 21) and Brad Edwards (12th with 20).

Amazingly Shepparton United has the three top players in the stat of frees against, but it is Kyabram that clearly leads this category as a team.