Some interesting stats to consider:
In every game we've won this season, we've scored a try within the first 17 minutes, with the exception of once against the Tigpies in Round 17.
In every game we've lost this season our opponent has scored within 15 minutes, except for once against the Cowboys in Darwin. If we exclude the Finals match last week against the Panthers, then this comes down to 11 minutes.
Excluding the Final last week, in the last half of the season, everytime our opponent scored 2 tries in the first 19 minutes we have lost, and when we've failed to score more than one try in the first 36 minutes we have also lost every time.
When we score two of the first three tries we invariably win with the exception of our win against Manly earlier in the year they scored two of the first three (which everyone has described as a very lucky win) and a comeback against the Tigpies in Round 17. Basically though for all other opponents this is the case.
As a side note, interestingly in this Tigpies game, Junior Paulo was out. The Tigpies scored 4 tries with Makatoa on the field, and none whilst Nathan Brown was on the field. We scored 1 try, in the 67th minute when Makatoa was on the field, and four tries whilst Brown was on the field. Make of that what you will, but this is the only game Brown has participated in since Round 14 against the Dogs when it was 16 nil to the Dogs when he took the field..
So, in summing up, if we can score, and stop our opponents scoring, within the first 20 minutes, or score two of the first three tries, then statistically we should win our matches.
Basically, based on these statistics, if we front load our energy for the next 3 weeks, like we did for the previous 3 seasons, our opponent should not beat us, no matter who they are.
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