GVL Data

GVL Data | Key forwards shouldering the load

By Bransen Gibson

Jul 7, 2022

Goal machine: Mooroopna’s Chris Nield has booted 53 majors for the Cats this season, the most in the Goulburn Valley League. Photo: Aydin Payne

Football loves a big key forward and this season Mooroopna’s Christopher Nield is leading the way in the Goulburn Valley League.

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The Cats’ frontman has booted 53 goals so far this season, the most in the league.

Not only is his goal total the highest in the GVL, so too is the percentage goals kicked for his team.

Nield is responsible for 37 per cent of Mooroopna’s 145 goals this season — far and away the most of any player this season.

The key forward has kicked 39 goals more than Mooroopna’s next highest goal scorer Lucas Caccaviello, with only three Cats bagging double-digit hauls this season.

Compared to other teams and players around the league, Nield’s scoreboard contribution is is clearly larger than the rest.

In terms of percentage of their team’s goals scored, Tatura’s Chaz Sargeant (26 per cent) and Shepparton’s Anthony Andronaco (25 per cent) are the next closest to Nield’s

Echuca’s Ruroy Kirkby is the league’s second highest goal scorer with 43 majors, but at 22 per cent, his share of the Murray Bombers’ goals is nowhere near Nield’s mark.

Rochester’s Mitch Cricelli is the only other forward responsible for more than 20 per cent of his side’s goals, contributing 21 per cent of the Tigers’ six pointers.

The Murray Bombers have done a good job of spreading their goals around this season. They have kicked the most goals in the league in 2022 (194), but aside from Kirky, no other forward has kicked more than 20.

The Bottle Greens have six players in total with double-digit goal numbers, tied with Euroa for the most in the league.

For the Magpies — Echuca’s opponents this weekend — Erishmiilan Uthayakumar and Jett Trotter are their leading goal contributors with 27 each, 16 per cent of their side’s goals.